BBC casting for children who are struggling to make friends in heartwarming new series

We all know what it feels like to try to make a friend.

That awkward hello. Turning up somewhere new on your own. Trying to join a conversation that already seems to have started without you. Friendship can be one of the most natural things in the world, but it can be tricky to master.

Now imagine navigating all of that as a little kid.

A brand-new BBC series, Will You Be My Friend?, from the award-winning team behind The Dog House, is exploring the world of childhood friendship and is currently looking for families from across the UK to take part.

The six-part series follows children aged 5 to 8 who are finding friendships difficult. Some are shy. Some feel overwhelmed in social situations. Others simply haven’t found the right friend yet. They want to make friends, but don’t always know where to begin.

At the heart of the series is The Friendship Centre, a warm and supportive space where child psychologists help children build confidence, practise social skills and feel more comfortable connecting with others. Each child is then thoughtfully matched with a potential new friend from their local area for a playdate.

But Will You Be My Friend? is not only looking for children who are finding friendships difficult.

Five Mile Films are also searching for warm, kind-hearted children aged 5 to 8 who love meeting new people and would enjoy helping another child feel welcomed and included.

Maybe your child is the one who happily introduces themselves at the park. Perhaps they always invite others into a game, make classmates laugh, or instinctively notice when another child is sitting alone. Whether they love football, Lego, animals, performing, gaming, drawing or singing and dancing, the series is looking for children who love connecting with others and could be a wonderful match for a child who is finding friendship more challenging.

As casting calls are being made, Executive Producer Adam Chapman said: “The thing we love most about Will You Be My Friend? is that it takes something everyone experiences – the need for friendship and belonging – and shows it through the eyes of children taking those brave first steps to make a friend.”

“At a time when connection feels so fragile, the joy of the series is that it is warm, hopeful and genuinely moving. Watching children put themselves out there, form new connections and learn new social skills is incredibly powerful. Every single viewer will be able to see themselves through the eyes of our young cast. It reminds us how much courage it takes to make a friend – and how much difference one friend can make.”

Will You Be My Friend?  is produced by Five Mile Films for BBC One and iPlayer.

Apply now:

Is your child aged 5 to 8 and finding friendships difficult? Apply here

Does your child love meeting new people and enjoy making new friends? Apply here