CBeebies TV Guide: Listings, Schedule & What’s On CBeebies Tonight

CBeebies is the BBC’s channel for children aged six and under, and it runs without adverts or sponsorship between shows. The licence fee pays for it instead, which is why nothing on the channel is trying to sell a three-year-old a toy. Today, Thursday 15 October 2026, the schedule runs its usual shape from a 6am start to closedown at 6:58pm, all of it streaming live on BBC iPlayer alongside the broadcast.

CBeebies Schedule: Thursday 15 October 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete CBeebies schedule for Thursday 15 October 2026, on Freeview 202.

Overnight

Breakfast

Morning

Afternoon

Early evening

Also on TV tonight at 9pm

• BBC One: The Celebrity Traitors (from 8pm)
• ITV1: Long Lost Family
• BBC Two: Surgeons: At the Edge of Life
• Channel 4: Our Tiny Islands (from 8pm)
• Channel 5: Love Nature
• Film4: Wrath of Man
• E4: Gogglebox
• ITV2: Big Brother
• ITV3: Vera (from 8pm)
• ITV4: Benidorm

Every channel tonight, side by side · Films on TV tonight · Tomorrow’s TV

What’s on CBeebies today

Thursday opens at 6am with Roots and Fruits and Bing, then Teletubbies, Tee and Mo and Colourblocks. Two Hey Duggee episodes at 7:05am, two Bluey episodes, Go Jetters and Peter Rabbit carry the rest of the early hours, and Numberblocks and Justin’s House close the breakfast block.

The morning starts with Bing at 9am, then Tralala (a new episode), Piggy Builders and Something Special at 9:45am. The afternoon runs from Big Cook Little Cook through Puffin Rock, Alphablocks and a second Something Special at 1:45pm to Hamza Loves Animals: Africa at 2:20pm and Octonauts at 3:25pm. Two Bluey episodes and a new Zog fill the late afternoon, and Balamory opens the early evening at 5:05pm, followed by Rafi the Wishing Wizard, JoJo & Gran Gran and Sarah & Duck. The bedtime run starts with BeddyByes at 6:10pm.

CBeebies tonight — primetime and the evening schedule

Here’s the CBeebies primetime line-up for tonight, Thursday 15 October 2026.

BeddyByes — CBeebies, 6:10pm

A ten-minute wind-down of lullabies and quiet moments that starts the bedtime run. Series 1, episode 26.

In the Night Garden — CBeebies, 6:20pm

The half-hour dreamlike staple with Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and the Tombliboos, series 1 episode 29. It is the centrepiece of the evening and has been for many years.

CBeebies Bedtime Stories — CBeebies, 6:50pm

A guest reader and a picture book to close the day, listed as episode 56 of the 2025 run.

Close — CBeebies, 6:58pm

Closedown comes at 6:58pm, with the channel off air until 6am on Friday.

What kind of shows are on CBeebies

CBeebies’ own commissions

Most of the schedule is BBC-commissioned. Hey Duggee, from Studio AKA and BBC Studios, has taken multiple Children’s BAFTAs since 2015 and is one of the most-streamed titles the channel has ever had. Something Special, presented by Justin Fletcher since 2003, is the longest-running preschool series in Britain. Sarah & Duck, Numberblocks and JoJo & Gran Gran have all been in rotation for years too.

Imported animated hits

Bluey, made by Ludo Studio in Australia and co-commissioned with the ABC, has been CBeebies’ most-watched show since 2024. It’s rare for a preschool cartoon to hold an adult’s attention as well as a child’s, but Bluey manages it. Puffin Rock and Zog, adapted from Julia Donaldson’s picture book, are the other imports you’ll see most often.

Inclusive and accessible programming

Accessibility isn’t parked in one corner of the schedule here. Something Special was built around Makaton signing from the outset, for children with delayed learning and communication needs, and presenters use Makaton in the links between programmes. The nightly Bedtime Story has run episodes signed in British Sign Language and read in Braille.

How to watch CBeebies

Channel numbers

Here’s where to find CBeebies across the main UK television platforms:

Virgin Media and Freesat numbers can vary slightly depending on your box and region, so check your on-screen guide if these don’t match.

Streaming online

CBeebies streams live and free on BBC iPlayer, either through a browser at bbc.co.uk/iplayer or via the iPlayer app on smart TVs, games consoles and phones. You’ll need a free BBC account, and the same TV Licence that covers the broadcast covers the stream. Full box sets of most CBeebies shows sit in the on-demand section as well, usually for weeks or months after they first air, which is how most parents actually use it.

CBeebies and CBBC

The two channels launched on the same day, 11 February 2002, and the split between them is purely about age. CBeebies is for six and under, and leans hard on gentle pacing, repetition and routine. CBBC takes over from six to twelve, runs much later into the evening, and moves at a considerably faster clip. If your child has started finding Bing and Hey Duggee babyish, our CBBC TV guide covers what’s next.

Frequently asked questions

What channel is CBeebies on Freeview?

Freeview channel 202, with an HD simulcast on 204. No subscription is needed on any Freeview device.

What channel is CBeebies on Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat?

Sky channel 608, Virgin Media channel 702, and Freesat channel 644, with Freesat HD on channel 608.

What time does CBeebies start and finish each day?

6am to 7pm, every day, with a short “This Is CBeebies” ident from around 5:30am. BBC Four has the same broadcast slot outside those hours.

When is the CBeebies Bedtime Hour and Bedtime Story?

It’s the last hour or so of the day, renamed simply Bedtime in 2023. It ends with the CBeebies Bedtime Story at 6:50pm, the final programme before sign-off.

Is CBeebies free to watch and does it carry adverts?

No advertising at all, which is unusual among children’s channels. A valid TV Licence is needed to watch it live or on iPlayer, as with any BBC service.

Can I watch CBeebies on BBC iPlayer?

Yes. There’s a live feed plus a dedicated CBeebies section, and a free BBC account is all you need to sign in.

Verdict

CBeebies doesn’t autoplay into the next episode or push in-app extras between shows. The channel just stops at 7pm and hands over to BBC Four for the night.

For a remit this narrow, the range holds up: decades-old homegrown commissions sit next to recent imports without looking out of place. Is it good for a toddler? Reliably, and that’s the only test worth applying. Nobody puts CBeebies on for appointment viewing. They put it on to get a small child calm and pointed at bed.

Related: What’s On TV Tonight | CBBC TV Guide | CBeebies and CBBC Channel Numbers