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 20 August 2026, there are 76 programmes on the schedule, all of it streaming live on BBC iPlayer alongside the broadcast.

CBeebies Schedule: Thursday 20 August 2026 (Full Listings)

Here is the complete CBeebies schedule for Thursday 20 August 2026, on Freeview 202.

Overnight

Breakfast

Morning

Afternoon

Early evening

What’s on CBeebies today

Thursday’s morning follows the shape CBeebies mornings usually take: once the “This Is CBeebies” ident clears at 6am, short five- and ten-minute shows stack one after another so a young child can drift off and come back without losing the thread. Bing gets three separate slots between 6:05am and 9am, Hey Duggee runs in a back-to-back pair at 7:05am and 7:10am, and Bluey does the same straight after at 7:20am and 7:25am. Something Special, Justin Fletcher’s Makaton-signed strand, airs twice, once at 9:45am and again at 1:45pm.

The afternoon works through the channel’s usual rotation, Big Cook Little Cook, Numberblocks, Molly and Mack and Peter Rabbit among them, with Hey Duggee and Bluey each getting a second paired outing around 3:45pm and 4:40pm respectively. From 5pm the schedule narrows into the teatime wind-down: Dodge’s Pup School, Waffle the Wonder Dog, Rafi the Wishing Wizard, JoJo & Gran Gran, Sarah & Duck and Clangers, each getting a single slot before the evening’s three bedtime shows take over from 6:10pm.

CBeebies tonight — the evening wind-down

CBeebies doesn’t build to a primetime the way the grown-up channels do. Instead the last stretch of the day narrows into three short, familiar programmes designed to slow everything down before sign-off. Here’s what’s on tonight, Thursday 20 August 2026.

CBeebies Bedtime Stories — CBeebies, 6:50pm

The evening’s real event lands last. Sir Lewis Hamilton takes the armchair for tonight’s Bedtime Story, reading Manjeet Mann’s picture book Small’s Big Dream, about a small hero with an outsized ambition. A seven-time Formula One world champion reading to toddlers before bed is not something CBeebies manages every week, and it’s the single most notable booking on the channel today. The story runs to around 6:58pm, when the channel closes for the night.

BeddyByes — CBeebies, 6:10pm

The wind-down opens with BeddyByes (series 1, episode 38). BaBa is happy to share his things with friends until he ends up with nothing left himself, and the episode works through why sharing is supposed to go both ways.

In the Night Garden — CBeebies, 6:20pm

Half an hour later comes In the Night Garden (series 2, episode 18). The Tombliboos take the Ninky Nonk out for a ride, and Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka all end up chasing after it.

Close — CBeebies, 6:58pm

CBeebies goes off air at 6:58pm once the Bedtime Story finishes. The frequency passes to BBC Four for the rest of the night, and CBeebies programmes don’t resume until 6am.

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 Charlie and Lola 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 | Films on TV This Week