UK Backs Joe Wicks’ ‘Activate’ Series to Boost Child Fitness

Fitness coach Joe Wicks has launched “Activate”, a free animated workout series aimed at getting children moving during the summer holidays. Produced with BAFTA-winning Studio AKA—the team behind “Hey Duggee”—and featuring music supplied by Universal Music UK, the five-minute episodes stream weekly on Wicks’s YouTube channel. The Department of Health and Social Care is funding the project under its Plan for Change and 10-Year Health Plan, committing support for a further 10 episodes. Wicks appears as an animated character who guides viewers through short routines such as jogging, squats and burpees, accompanied by six cartoon ‘Activators’. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the partnership is designed to build lifelong habits and help curb rising childhood obesity, which the government estimates costs the National Health Service £10.5 billion a year. Officials hope the bite-sized format will reach homes and schools alike, easing pressure on the NHS by prioritising prevention over treatment.