LITTLE LUNCH back with new Grade 5 crew

Heidi Arena reprises her role as Mrs Gonsha as Little Lunch returns with new characters navigating friendship and primary school drama.

The playground bell is ringing again, with the ABC, BBC and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) confirming the return of Little Lunch in a new instalment titled Little Lunch: New Class.

More than a decade after the original mockumentary series first chronicled the dramas of recess, the new chapter introduces six new students — Adelaide, Ivy, Mason, Steve, Bonnie and Arthur — as they navigate the everyday ups and downs of primary school life.

Produced by Gristmill, the team behind ABC titles Upper Middle Bogan, The InBestigators, Summer Love and The Librarians, the series revisits the familiar schoolyard setting with a different group of Year 5 students.

Returning to the classroom is Heidi Arena, reprising her role as teacher Mrs Gonsha. While the faces may be new, the challenges remain much the same, with the series again focusing on friendship, misunderstandings and the emotional milestones of childhood.

Creators Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope said the new season marks more than a decade since the series first appeared on screen.

“It’s been eleven years since we first brought Danny Katz and Mitch Vane’s Little Lunch universe to the screen, which is an actual lifetime (if you’re a character in the show).

We can’t wait to bring this new series to the world.”

ABC Head of Children & Family Melinda Wearne said the original series struck a chord with local audiences.

“Little Lunch captured the Australian childhood experience with honesty, heart, and humour, and is so loved by Australian audiences.

We’re thrilled to have a wonderful new series for children and their families to meet the new class and share in their stories.”

From the UK, Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Commissioning 7+, BBC Children’s and Education, said the series continues to connect with young viewers.

“Little Lunch is a series that continues to resonate so strongly with young audiences.

Reviving this iconic show allows us not only to celebrate what made the original so special, but also to introduce today’s kids to the full breadth of content across BBC Children’s & Education and stories that inspire, support and reflect their worlds in entertaining and meaningful ways.”

ACTF Head of Content Bernadette O’Mahony said returning to the series had been a rewarding experience.

“Being back in the Little Lunch universe with Gristmill over the past couple of years has been a delight.

Children and parents alike will love Mrs Gonsha’s new class of Grade 5’s, who are just as loveable, quirky and real.

This series continues the Little Lunch tradition of warm, relatable, hilarious stories, and we can’t wait for children all over the world to fall in love with this new class of characters.”

The production is also backed by VicScreen, with CEO Caroline Pitcher highlighting the economic impact of the project in Victoria.

“The enduring popularity of Little Lunch proves just how brilliantly Victorian screen talent can create stories that entertain and inspire young audiences.

We’re thrilled to support Gristmill and a fresh generation of emerging local talent to make a new season of Little Lunch in Victoria, creating jobs for Victorian screen workers and injecting over $14 million into the local economy.

We can’t wait to be part of Little Lunch: New Class.”

Production credit: Little Lunch: New Class is a Gristmill production for the ABC and the BBC, with major production investment from the ACTF and the ABC, in association with VicScreen. International sales will be handled by the ACTF.

Little Lunch: New Class will air on the ABC in 2027. Catch up on the original Little Lunch now on ABC iview.