Rafi the Wishing Wizard
| Rafi the Wishing Wizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Tom Cousins |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Seán McCormack |
| Voices of |
|
| Composers | Kyle Riabko and Steph Mckeon[1] |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 52 (26 currently available) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Tom Cousins |
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 7 minutes |
| Production companies | BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions Blue Zoo Animation Studio |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBeebies BBC iPlayer |
| Release | 16 February 2026 – present |
Rafi the Wishing Wizard is a British children's animated television series created by Tom Cousins and produced by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions.[2][3][4]
Premise
The show follows a 7 year old Rafi Martin who lives in Manchester with her two dads and has a magical wand allowing her one wish per day.[5]
Characters
- Mollie Hutton as Rafi Martin
- Kieron Richardson as Jake Martin[6]
- Muzz Khan as Dash Martin
- Darcy Shaw as Ruby
- Jake Ademola as Finn
- Mina Anwar as Aunty T
- Julie Hesmondhalgh as Doris[7]
- Karis Musongole as Khia
- Jennie McAlpine as Amy
Production
Rafi the Wishing Wizard was created by Tom Cousins and commissioned by BBC Children's and Education for CBeebies in 2023. The series was produced by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions, with animation services provided by Blue Zoo Animation Studio. Tony Cooke served as head writer, while Sean McCormack directed all episodes.
In interviews with Prolific North and Animation Magazine, Cousins described Rafi the Wishing Wizard as "a classic family sitcom, driven by magic, surprise and plenty of heart".[8] He said the series was inspired by stories in which the extraordinary exists within recognisable everyday settings. Describing the show's creative approach, he said "the wishes are the only overtly fantastical element", adding that "the real magic is the family dynamic". Cousins said Manchester was chosen as the setting to encourage children to imagine magical events unfolding in places they recognise, such as "zooming to school on a waterslide or meeting a friendly dinosaur in their local museum". He added that the series was designed around the idea that "the more real the world felt, the more fantastical the magic would seem".[9]
Reception
Writing for Skwigly, Simmon Keith Barney stated the show had "a stellar cast of voice actors", and gave it a positive reaction, saying: "Rafi the Wishing Wizard is a warm and funny celebration of family, friendship and the unpredictable power of a well-timed wish."[10]
Rahmin Zahed of Animation Magazine deemed that Rafi the Wishing Wizard introduced viewers to a "magical version of modern-day Manchester", adding that the "colorful comedy also packs in a lot of heart with the relationship between Rafi and her two loving dads (Hollyoaks‘ Kieron Richardson and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl voicer Muzz Khan), as well as local flavor and universal themes of friendship and community."[11]
Praising the series for being "packed with comedy" and "casting a spell on our hearts", the Capital Pride London blog stated that "the show’s real charm lies in its beautiful representation of modern life".[12]
Manchester-based The Manc called Rafi the Wishing Wizard "adorable", positively reacting to the way the show "takes life’s ordinary moments and turns them into something extraordinary." Writer Emily Sergeant also felt the seven-minute episodes were "ideal for younger attention spans and easier to spot all of the Manchester landmarks"[13].
Cultural significance
In 2026, the BBC included Rafi the Wishing Wizard in its official LGBT+ Timeline, which documents milestones in LGBTQ+ representation across the broadcaster's history. The timeline highlighted the series' portrayal of Rafi and her two fathers as part of the BBC's chronology of LGBTQ+ representation across its programming.[14]
The series was also featured in the BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2025–2026 as an example of culturally relevant children's content and home-grown storytelling. The report highlighted the programme's contemporary setting and its portrayal of modern British family life.[15]
Episodes
Season 1 (2026)
| No. | Title | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The First Wish" | Tony Cooke | February 16, 2026 |
| 2 | "The Bouncy Wish" | Tony Cooke & Tasha Dhanraj | February 16, 2026 |
| 3 | "The Football Wish" | Hannah George | February 17, 2026 |
| 4 | "The Gingerbread Wish" | Mariama Ives-Moiba | February 18, 2026 |
| 5 | "The Bedtime Wish" | Andrew Emerson | February 19, 2026 |
| 6 | "The Cherry Tree Wish" | Athena Kugblenu | February 20, 2026 |
| 7 | "The Mermaid Wish" | Mariama Ives-Moiba | February 23, 2026 |
| 8 | "The Baby Wish" | Tony Cooke & Tim Bain | February 24, 2026 |
| 9 | "The Stuck Together Wish" | Jen Upton | February 25, 2026 |
| 10 | "The Do-It-All Wish" | Tony Cooke & Ashley Joseph | February 26, 2026 |
| 11 | "The Tallest Wish" | Mariama Ives-Moiba | February 27, 2026 |
| 12 | "The Cat Wish" | Sarah Campbell | March 2, 2026 |
| 13 | "The Unicorn Wish" | Tony Cooke & Tim Bain | March 3, 2026 |
| 14 | "The Talk to Animals Wish" | Jen Upton | March 4, 2026 |
| 15 | "The Multi Rafi Wish" | Jen Upton | March 5, 2026 |
| 16 | "The Playground Wish" | Emma Hogan | March 6, 2026 |
| 17 | "The Freeze Wish" | Davey Moore | March 9, 2026 |
| 18 | "The Switch Places Wish" | Sarah Campbell | March 10, 2026 |
| 19 | "The Basketball Wish" | Emma Hogan | March 11, 2026 |
| 20 | "The Bubble Wish" | Tony Cooke & Mariama Ives-Moiba | March 12, 2026 |
| 21 | "The Fixie Pixie Wish" | Sarah Campbell | March 13, 2026 |
| 22 | "The Lost and Found Wish" | Rose Johnson & Camille Ucan | March 16, 2026 |
| 23 | "The Magic Show Wish" | Tony Cooke & Tim Bain | March 17, 2026 |
| 24 | "The Dinosaur Wish" | Tony Cooke | March 18, 2026 |
| 25 | "The Driving Wish" | Tony Cooke | March 19, 2026 |
| 26 | "The Camping Wish" | Jen Upton | March 20, 2026 |
References
- ↑ "Kyle Riabko and Steph McKeon to score new CBeebies series". The Composerworks.com.
- ↑ "Magical cast revealed for brand-new CBeebies Manchester based sitcom Rafi the Wishing Wizard". bbc.co.uk. 12 November 2025.
- ↑ "Manchester sitcom Rafi the Wishing Wizard heads to CBeebies". Prolific North.co.uk. 14 November 2025.
- ↑ "BBC Studios Kids & Family Outlines MIPCOM Highlights". 9 October 2025.
- ↑ "Rafi the Wishing Wizard cast and creatives reveal all about the magical animation set in Manchester". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
- ↑ "'Rafi the Wishing Wizard' airs on CBeebies". Sue Terry Voices.com. 16 February 2026.
- ↑ "Magical cast revealed for brand-new CBeebies Manchester based sitcom Rafi the Wishing Wizard". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- ↑ Newbould, Chris (18 February 2026). "Meet Rafi the Wishing Wizard – the new animated favourite from the magical land of Manchester". Prolific North. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Zahed, Ramin (February 2026). "EP Tom Cousins on Bringing Rafi the Wishing Wizard to Animated Life on CBeebies". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ Barney, Simmon Keith (27 January 2026). "Cast Revealed for New CBeebies Manchester-based Animated Sitcom 'Rafi the Wishing Wizard'". Skwigly Animation Magazine. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ Zahed, Ramin (26 February 2026). "EP Tom Cousins on Bringing 'Rafi the Wishing Wizard' to Animated Life on CBeebies". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ↑ "Rafi the Wishing Wizard: CBeebies' Two-Dad Family". Capital Pride London. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ Sergeant, Emily (19 February 2026). "New 'warm and funny' animated children's show set in Manchester airs on CBeebies". The Manc. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
- ↑ "LGBTQ+ Timeline". History of the BBC. BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts 2025–2026 (PDF) (Report). BBC. 14 July 2026. p. 34. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
External links
- Rafi the Wishing Wizard at IMDb
- Rafi the Wishing Wizard homepage at BBC