PBS Cancels Long-Running Children’s Program ‘Caillou’

Meaghan Darwish January 6, 2021, 11:45 am

Caillou PBS — © PBS / Courtesy: Everett Collection

PBS has officially canceled its long-running animated series Caillou. The network announced that it will stop running episodes of the children’s program after more than 20 years.

In a tweet, PBS stated, “We’re saying farewell to @cailloudhx, but remember, when we say goodbye to something… It just means we get to say hello to something new!” They also shared a link to their webpage offering “tips for what to do when your child’s favorite media goes away.”

…It just means we get to say hello to something new!
Here are tips for what to do when your child’s favorite media goes away: https://t.co/FM8bLI2gbS pic.twitter.com/n0PokaNIbb

— PBS KIDS (@PBSKIDS) January 5, 2021

The series followed the titular character, a four-year-old boy with a big imagination who took viewers along on adventures at home, in school, and outdoors. Caillou sought to teach preschoolers about the world around them through his experiences.

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Among the characters rounding out Caillou’s story were his parents, little sister Rosie, grandma, grandpa, cat Gilbert, teacher Miss Martin, and his friends. Caillou began its run in 1997 and produced new episodes through 2018. PBS’s cancellation will remove the show from airing altogether.

The removal marks the end of an era for a series that entertained and educated children for the last two decades.