We are casting an exciting kung-fu action fantasy television series and are looking for young British-born Chinese to play the lead roles in the new Children’s Drama - BO AND THE SPIRIT WORLD SEARCH FOR

Bo – Female, aged 11-16 Confident, sporty and a born leader

Timothy - Male, aged 9-12 Cheeky, Quick-witted and energetic

Bo and Timothy are on a school trip when they are suddenly transported to a magical 'spirit world'. Here they become superpowered spirit warriors, on a quest to save the world. It's good versus evil in an epic struggle inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore

This is a fantastic opportunity to explore what it means to be British Chinese today and to create a role model for your community. Above all, it is a chance of a lifetime for two young people to have an amazing experience at the heart of a major new BBC Children's Drama.

If you are interested and would like more information email us at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or visit our website at www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc live from 1st January ‘09 For parental enquiries, please call David Tse (casting advisor) on 07931 764 840 (10-6pm Weekdays)

 

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Anonymous Posted 1:40 on 3 January 2009 You have got to be joking. The first British programme with a Chinese lead since that police programme decades ago (which was ahead of its time, but perfectly done), and you have this? BBC, I despise you. You say: "This is a fantastic opportunity to explore what it means to be British Chinese today" yet it's a "exciting kung-fu action fantasy television series" says it all about how one dimensional you TV folk have it with our race. Why is it, that black people can star as the Dr Who assistant, a British Government agent, the lead in a Shakespeare play - hell, even a nun in medieval England (Robin Hood), where there was not even a single black person in that time period in Britain - yet the Chinese are still stuck in "Bruce Lee/geek/chef/subservient wife of a white bloke" roles? Get it sorted, even Hollywood is beginning to recognise Asian Americans in NORMAL roles. That's all we want - as blacks have done, to be cast in roles with no stereotypes, no backstory related to their race. JUST NORMAL. Reply | Quote

OMFG - cmon Posted 22:34 on 4 January 2009 again and again , what is wrong with the western mentality toward east asian, is the coupling of white male and east asian women really the most profitable? bo chinese name obviously , timothy anglo name. British chinese my backside, you tossers. Reply | Quote

rsj Posted 16:48 on 9 January 2009 Perhaps we don't need to take this too seriously, as it is a CBBC children programme. I do however agree with the above posters. In my view it is the fault of the writer of the drama (assuming he/she is Chinese), who felt he/she could not break into the British scene without a cliche "Chinese" story, to fulfill the "expectation". Shame. Reply | Quote

whore that shit out - well.. Posted 20:06 on 10 January 2009 at least she got something out there for what its worth. gotta whore them bucks, baby Reply | Quote

Anonymous - re: well.. Posted 13:11 on 22 January 2009 whore that shit out wrote: at least she got something out there for what its worth. gotta whore them bucks, baby I hope you have read the article on the writer of the show and am now feeling like the nasty piece of work you are for saying something so cheap and attacking with nothing to base it on. I see also that you knew the writer was a "she" - is this where you got your "clever" whoring reference from? What a nice man you are to attack a young Chinese woman who has done nothing but work incredibly hard to get where she is. And I assume you are a fellow man, as women don't tend to use slurs like that in the way that you have. And you all wonder why the Chinese haven't come as far as we'd like in this country? It's because there are too many like you who complain and bitch but then do nothing about it, and worse still, you then attack the ones who actually try. Thank God we're not all like you. Reply | Quote

medialies - what an insult Posted 23:16 on 11 January 2009 i think dimsum.co.uk clearly has some thinking to do with its selection of items to put onto its content. This "Bo and blah blah" is quite a scoop for those who peddle the oriental cliche as they have managed to get dimsum.co.uk to do its peddling for them! i mean what better way to get into the target community that getting "one of their own" to do the work for us. Just when i thought we were making some headway in promoting the Chinese community we take a huge leap back into the "good ol days", at least for those who are not Chinese! Reply | Quote

Luke Posted 8:54 on 12 January 2009 at least two young british chinese are getting the chance to become tv actors. hopefully their later roles won't be so stereotyped. Reply | Quote

medialies - luke Posted 10:18 on 12 January 2009 I think its exactly the mentality that you have just voiced is the carrot that these purveyors of outdated stereotypes like to dangle in front of minorities who then take these crumbs of "generosity" and see it as a stepping stone to something better down the line and the fact is that it DOESNT. It only serves to prolong and entrench this stereotype and does not help any non white community. Really disappointed in dimsum.co.uk, what a fool for posting their recruitment ad without questioning a bit deeper the appropriateness of it. Reply | Quote

Overreaction Posted 13:10 on 13 January 2009 The negative posters strike once again! I don't know that much about this programme, but then again, that's because it's not out yet. It could be awful but it could also be quite good. Point being, we won't know until we actually see it. What I do know is that my young cousin is very excited as she's just entered the auditions - and it'll be the first audition she's had in 15 months since there's not much call for a 14 yr old chinese actress in this country. You are getting steamed up over the words kung fu in the casting advert. Judging by the comments here, that means you must also resent the new Monkey Opera as it also has kung fu and you would have hated The Forbidden Kingdom (a Hollywood film). I think the real shame is that you are so quick to criticize. Personally, I will wait until I can actually make an informed judgement on this. Reply | Quote

Yin Posted 3:00 on 14 January 2009 I DEMAND A CHINESE DOCTOR WHO. Reply | Quote

Be positive Posted 0:23 on 15 January 2009 I agree with "Overreaction", many British-born actors are struggling for parts. Here is a new series with Chinese leads. I think that is great. What is that saying "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" - well here is a step for us with Chinese actors being the leads. You negative people are making many assumptions like western people are behind this like a conspiracy to stereotype us. Who knows it could be Chinese people and they will go deeper into the issues and not just Kung Fu. It could be the start of something much more. It hasn't been aired yet so I will wait and see before I make up my mind. Reply | Quote

Anonymous - Yin Posted 1:21 on 16 January 2009 Can't tell if Yin's being funny or not! Reply | Quote

Paulc - re: luke Posted 1:25 on 16 January 2009 medialies wrote: I think its exactly the mentality that you have just voiced is the carrot that these purveyors of outdated stereotypes like to dangle in front of minorities who then take these crumbs of "generosity" and see it as a stepping stone to something better down the line and the fact is that it DOESNT. It only serves to prolong and entrench this stereotype and does not help any non white community. Really disappointed in dimsum.co.uk, what a fool for posting their recruitment ad without questioning a bit deeper the appropriateness of it. Blimey, do you MEDIALIES have a chip or what? Your name says it all really. Reply | Quote

Susan S. Cheung - Jo Ho Posted 18:06 on 21 January 2009 Please read my interview in the features section with Jo Ho, writer and creator of Bo and the Spirit World if you want to find out more about the new series and the story of how it came about. http://www.dimsum.co.uk/features/introducing-the-fabulous-miss-jo-ho.html Reply | Quote

HKID - Paulc Posted 17:32 on 29 January 2009 Paulc, I disagree with your comments on Medialies. First of all I cannot understand how you could have arrived at the conclusion he has a "chip" when what he says is clearly quite correct. I understand some people may find facts unpalatable and that may well be your case but to then go on the say "your name says it all" demonstrates to us all that you are an intellectual lightweight. I assume Medialies is a take on another fact of life which I assume Paulc is blissfully unawares. Paulc wrote: medialies wrote: I think its exactly the mentality that you have just voiced is the carrot that these purveyors of outdated stereotypes like to dangle in front of minorities who then take these crumbs of "generosity" and see it as a stepping stone to something better down the line and the fact is that it DOESNT. It only serves to prolong and entrench this stereotype and does not help any non white community. Really disappointed in dimsum.co.uk, what a fool for posting their recruitment ad without questioning a bit deeper the appropriateness of it. Blimey, do you MEDIALIES have a chip or what? Your name says it all really. Reply | Quote

Nic - re: cmon Posted 17:02 on 7 February 2009 OMFG wrote: again and again , what is wrong with the western mentality toward east asian, is the coupling of white male and east asian women really the most profitable? bo chinese name obviously , timothy anglo name. British chinese my backside, you tossers. Does it not occur to you that most British Born Chinese have English first names? They are casting a British Born Chinese character and calling him Timothy! Reply | Quote

Edwina Lee Posted 0:01 on 8 February 2009 I look forward to watch this series and re-experience childhood I had very little. :D Reply | Quote

Edwina Lee Posted 0:03 on 8 February 2009 I used to play Ghenkis Khan with my little brother on a mat, conquering all the countries on a map. Really silly thinking back :D Reply | Quote

chinese actor - chill Posted 15:00 on 10 February 2009 I think some of you guys are too critical and judgemental on this show. It is a positive step in the right direction. Someone mentioned 'kung fu' stereotypes. No! you're wrong, if you watch most TV/Films in China and the Far East in the last 50 years it is full of martial arts!! this is because its popular, full stop. I, myself have auditioned for a main part, so I am a whore! Reply | Quote

Paulc - re: Paulc Posted 17:23 on 11 February 2009 [quote=HKID]Paulc, I disagree with your comments on Medialies. First of all I cannot understand how you could have arrived at the conclusion he has a "chip" when what he says is clearly quite correct. I understand some people may find facts unpalatable and that may well be your case but to then go on the say "your name says it all" demonstrates to us all that you are an intellectual lightweight. I assume Medialies is a take on another fact of life which I assume Paulc is blissfully unawares. I am an intellectual lightweight because I believe Medialies to have a chip on his shoulder, based on not just this, but many of his angry posts throughout this forum? The fact that he is not only slandering a show that he clearly hasn't seen, and therefore cannot make an informed opinion. He also goes on to criticise Dimsum for spreading the word for an opportunity which we, the Chinese community have complained for over three decades about the lack of. And "peddle the oriental cliche" - as medialies wrote. What oriental cliche? All we know from this poster is that it's warriors saving the world, and it's based on chinese mythology. So, both you and he have an issue with some Chinese kids saving the world then? Because I can so see how Chinese people saving the world would be a bad thing. And "blissfully unaware"? Yes, you and he are ultra intellectual and I know nothing, which of course, you could tell by my one line post. My whole post was actually to point out that medialies is too cynical. Quite frankly, anyone who can have the adverse reaction he did to a brief casting poster illustrates this fact very clearly. And yes, medialies does have another take on life from me, a negative, angry and resentful one. Since we're on the subject, I'd like to personally ask what he is doing to help change the very media he resents so much? Of course the general media has an agenda - it's the same in every country - but I think he is wrong in condemning this show when he has nothing to base it on, and that is my problem. I am well aware of our struggles as a race, but I also know when to call it as it is, and when someone is being over the top. Thank you, Chinese actor - I am in complete agreement with you! The people who are criticising this had better not be the same ones who watch all the martial arts shows and films that come out of Asia. Good luck to you! I sincerely hope you get the job - sounds like it would be a fantastic opportunity that would lead onto great things. Reply | Quote

Medialies - Paulc Posted 20:04 on 16 February 2009 PaulC, i think its a bit much to call my posts angry and resentful when all i have done is comment on what is painfully obvious to those who look and the difference is you are probably one who looks but does not see. I cant seem to quite grasp your logic about "had better not be watching martial arts shows coming out of Asia" and what I wrote as they are completely different issues. One is based on stories made by Chinese producers and directors who have an idea of Chinese culture and exaggerate and dramatise it, the other is someone who knows only caricatures of another culture and plays to those sterotypes that do nothing but emphasize outdated, outlandish even, cliche'd characters. And if you do not know what oriental stereotype i am referring to then please go back to the cave that you clearly must have wandered out of Reply | Quote

Medialies - Chinese Actor Posted 20:06 on 16 February 2009 I think youre quite humurous with your post. It kiind of takes the heat out of the "debate" we are having here. Reply | Quote

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