# Sesame Tree

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2008 British TV series or programme

Sesame Tree Genre Educational Theme music composer Duke Special Countries of origin United Kingdom United States Original language English No. of seasons 2 No. of episodes 40 Production Running time 15 minutes Production companies Sixteen South Sesame Workshop BBC Northern Ireland Original release Network BBC Two CBeebies Release 5 April 2008 (2008-04-05) – 28 January 2011 (2011-01-28)

***Sesame Tree*** is an adaptation of the [children's television series](/source/Children's_television_series), *[Sesame Street](/source/Sesame_Street)*, which was made entirely in [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland). The series was produced by [Belfast](/source/Belfast) based production company, [Sixteen South](/source/Sixteen_South) and [Sesame Workshop](/source/Sesame_Workshop). The first episode aired on [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two) in [Northern Ireland](/source/BBC_Northern_Ireland) on 5 April 2008, with the first series subsequently airing nationwide on [CBeebies](/source/CBeebies) in August 2008.[1][2]

A second series was launched in November 2010, and broadcast on CBeebies and BBC Two from 22 November 2010.[3]

## Production

The project had been under consideration since 2004; in Sesame Workshop's presentation on their international projects, Northern Ireland was listed as a goal, with the intent of 'building the Sesame model for respect and understanding curriculum across the sectarian divide."[4]

In January 2006, The American Ireland Fund provided support to realise the project.[5][6] Additional funding was secured from the [International Fund for Ireland](/source/International_Fund_for_Ireland) (IFI) and the Northern Ireland Fund for Reconciliation.[7] Funding for the second series was provided by IFI and [Northern Ireland Screen](/source/Northern_Ireland_Screen).

All the characters were developed by Sesame Workshop and Sixteen South, and the Muppets for the series were built by [The Jim Henson Company](/source/The_Jim_Henson_Company) in New York, who worked with exclusively local writers and Muppet Performers. [Martin P. Robinson](/source/Martin_P._Robinson) assisted in auditioning and training local performers, who include Lesa Gillespie, Paul Currie, Michael McNulty, Mike Smith, Helen Sloan and Alana Kerr.[8]

The Northern Irish science fiction writer, [Ian McDonald](/source/Ian_McDonald_(British_author)), has contributed scripts to the series, along with local writing trio Kieran Doherty, Danny Nash and Ian Nugent. Each of these four writers has written five episodes each, comprising the full twenty episodes of the first series.

## Format

The initial series of *Sesame Tree* comprised twenty seventeen-minute programmes, aimed at an audience of children aged 2–5. Following a format similar to that of *[The Hoobs](/source/The_Hoobs)*, it is composed of original puppet segments featuring [Muppets](/source/The_Muppets) created specifically for the series, local mini documentaries depicting a child's eye view of life in Northern Ireland, and classic Muppet segments from the library of *Sesame Street*.[9]

The common area of the programme is the "Sesame Tree" – a hollow tree where children can ask questions and have them answered;[10] the Sesame Tree is the programme's analogue to the street in the original *Sesame Street* programme. The residents of the Tree are Potto; Hilda and Archie, a new arrival for the second series.

The production also coincides with *[Tar ag Spraoi Sesame](/source/Play_with_Me_Sesame)*, an [Irish](/source/Irish_language) dubbed package of *[Play with Me Sesame](/source/Play_with_Me_Sesame)*, airing on [TG4](/source/TG4) in Ireland. The title and background music for the programme was composed by artist of Northern Ireland, [Duke Special](/source/Duke_Special).[11]

## Characters

- **Potto** (performed by Paul Currie and [Michael McNulty](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm5396445/)) – The main character of the series. He is a book loving [monster](/source/Monster) [inventor](/source/Invention) who likes to "potter" around the devices. Potto is best friends with Hilda the Hare and is the cousin of [Telly Monster](/source/Telly_Monster). His puppet is the same AM Monster design that was used for Humphrey from *[Sesame Street](/source/Sesame_Street)*.[12]

- **Hilda** (performed by Lesa Gillespie) – A seven-year-old [Irish Hare](/source/Mountain_hare) who is best friends with Potto.[13]

- **Claribelle** (performed by [Helen Sloan](/source/Helen_Sloan) (series 1) and Alana Kerr (series 2)) – A bespectacled, red [Muppet](/source/Muppet) [bird](/source/Bird).[12]

- **Samson and Goliath** (performed by Sarah Lyle and Alana Kerr) – A bunch of Bookworms that live amongst Potto's books.[9]

- **Weatherberries** (performed by Sarah Lyle and Michael McNulty) – A bunch of singing fruit.[12] They announce the weather whenever Hilda asks what the weather will be like that day.

- **Archie** (performed by Mike Smith) – A bespectacled [red squirrel](/source/Red_squirrel) who loves maths. He was introduced in Season 2.

## Episodes

### Series 1

1. The Bookworms Move House

1. Food for Thought

1. Booga Granny Hare!

1. The Share Necessities

1. Big Hare Day

1. Finders Keepers

1. A Present for Claribelle

1. CSI Sesame Tree

1. Beezer Broccoli Birthday Cake

1. Arty Party

1. Turn and Turn About

1. Practice Makes Perfect

1. Potto's Really Rockin' Pocket Shoes

1. One Wee Minute

1. Hilda's Two Birthdays

1. Same Difference

1. Potto's Perfect Picnic

1. Sad Hare Blues

1. The Goldfish Tree

1. A Very Special Visitor

### Series 2

1. Hilda's Beezer Buddies

1. Best of Furry Friends

1. Let's Have a Party

1. Run Potto Run

1. Out of Tune

1. Super Squirrel's Super Glasses

1. Potto's Heard of Cows

1. Potto's Movie Mania (Elmgrove Primary School)

1. Squirrel's Day

1. It's Not Me It's You

1. Potto's Never Ending Story

1. Pizza Perfection

1. Scaredy Squirrel

1. Treemendous

1. The Trying Game

1. Promises, Promises

1. Squirrel School

1. The Big Sleepover

1. Yes We Can

1. Potto's Big Day Out

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["The Bookworms Move House"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009s906). *Sesame Tree*. Series 1. Episode 1. Belfast. 5 April 2008. [BBC](/source/BBC). [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two)/[CBeebies](/source/CBeebies). Retrieved 1 January 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Episodes from Sesame Tree broadcast in 2008"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wg1my/episodes/2008). BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2012.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Hilda's Beezer Buddies"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wbylx). *Sesame Tree*. Series 2. Episode 1. Belfast. 22 November 2010. [BBC](/source/BBC). [CBeebies](/source/CBeebies). Retrieved 1 January 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [2004 Sesame Workshop powerpoint presentation](http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/pdfs/sesame_workshop_pd_19032004.ppt)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [The American Ireland Fund – Sesame Tree](http://www.irlfunds.org/your_money_at_work/projects_sesame.asp)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** O' Driscoll, Sean. "['Sesame Street' project to promote tolerance in North](http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2006/0128/1137626810356.html)." *The Irish Times*. 28 January 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-post_7-0)** O'Mahony, Catherine. "[The North Gets Its Own Sesame Street](http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/05/06/story23355.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071017154801/http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/05/06/story23355.asp) 17 October 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)." *The Sunday Business Post*. 5 May 2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [*Belfast Telegraph* "Ulster on way to Sesame Street" by Emily Moulton 10/10/07](http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/article3045392.ece)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_9-1) McCrum, Andrew (12 January 2017). ["Sesame Tree Series One"](https://northernirelandscreen.co.uk/production-catalogue/sesame-tree-series-one/). *Northern Ireland Screen*. Retrieved 12 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-workshop_10-0)** [Sesame Workshop press release](http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/inside_press.php?contentId=18660313) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071127014904/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/inside_press.php?contentId=18660313) 27 November 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). 20 September 2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Muppets arrive in Belfast as part of new children's television series, Sesame Tree, debuting on BBC Northern Ireland television this month"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110913053942/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/newsandevents/pressrelease/sesame_tree_debut) (Press release). Belfast and New York City: [Sesame Workshop](/source/Sesame_Workshop). 11 March 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.sesameworkshop.org/newsandevents/pressrelease/sesame_tree_debut) on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_12-2) Moulton, Emily (4 July 2008). ["Meet the Muppets who speak Norn Iron"](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/meet-the-muppets-who-speak-norn-iron-28067023.html). *Belfast Telegraph*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0307-1235](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0307-1235). Retrieved 12 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Meet Sesame Street's Global Cast of Characters"](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/meet-sesame-streets-global-cast-of-characters-148607164/). *Smithsonian Magazine*. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2023.

## External links

- [*Sesame Tree*](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wg1my) at [BBC Online](/source/BBC_Online)

- [BBC Northern Ireland: *Sesame Tree* schools](https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/sesame/)

- [*Sesame Tree*](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Tree) at Muppet Wiki

v t e Sesame Street international co-productions Characters Original show adaptations Africa Alam Simsim (Egypt) Kilimani Sesame (Tanzania) Sesame Square (Nigeria) Takalani Sesame (South Africa) Americas Plaza Sésamo (Mexico/Hispanic America) Sesame Park (Canada) Vila Sésamo (Brazil) Asia Ahlan Simsim (Syria/Lebanon) Baghch-e-Simsim (Afghanistan) Sesame!/Batibot (Philippines) Galli Galli Sim Sim (India) Hikayat Simsim (Jordan) Iftah Ya Simsim (Kuwait/United Arab Emirates) Jalan Sesama (Indonesia) Rechov Sumsum (Israel) Sabai Sabai Sesame (Cambodia) Sesami Sutorīto (Japan) Shalom Sesame (Israel) Shara'a Simsim (Palestine) Sim Sim Hamara (Pakistan) Sisimpur (Bangladesh) Zhima Jie (China) Europe 1, rue Sésame (France) 5, Rue Sésame (France) Barrio Sésamo (Spain) Monstruos Supersanos Sesam stasjon (Norway) Sesame Tree (Northern Ireland) Sesamstraat (Netherlands) Sesamstraße (Germany) Susam Sokağı (Turkey) Svenska Sesam (Sweden) Rruga Sesam/Ulica Sezam (Kosovo) Rua Sésamo (Portugal) Ulica Sezamkowa (Poland) Ulitsa Sezam (Russia) Spin-offs Open Sesame (worldwide) The Furchester Hotel (UK) Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures (USA/Italy) Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sesame Tree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Tree) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Tree?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.