17 January 2015 (2015-01-17) – 7 April 2019 (2019-04-07)
Art Ninja is a Britishchildren's television art-sitcom hybrid hosted by Ricky Martin. The show is produced by Dot to Dot Productions for CBBC and began on 17 January 2015.[2] The series follows presenter Ricky and his life where he makes arts with his friends Rich Thorne, Michelle Ackerley, Gavin "Gav" Strange and Sarah Matthews. Ella Lia Trudgeon and Ricky's dad, Terry Martin also appears in some episodes. Three series of 10 episodes each have been aired. Short compilation episodes are as Nine Minute Ninja.
A fifth series was commissioned by CBBC in Spring 2018, which aired in 2019.[3]
Format
Each episode follows a sitcom format with instructional art segments, like Art Attack or SMart. Each episode's makes has a theme to them, such as animals or aliens. An episode will usually consist of several small makes the viewer is able to make at home, an animation, a small drawing on a post-it note, a make made with a viewer on Skype, a small make with the character The Grandmaster and a big make (in the way of Art Attack), usually using a large amount of a certain material, like coins or clingfilm.
Production
Art Ninja came around after Ricky Martin's pilot, Ricky's Radical Reinventions was not picked up by CBBC. Dot to Dot Productions were looking for a recommission of their former art series, Totally Rubbish. However, CBBC's commissioner Cheryl Taylor wanted to create a new art brand. According to Martin, the series was aiming to be "The Naked Chef, meets art, meets Jackass." The working title for the series was Art Monkey.[4]
Gav brings round his new pet and Ricky makes butterfly art inspired by Damien Hirst.
14
4
"Day of the Diamond"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
20 February 2016 (2016-02-20)
Something sparkly and expensive is delivered to the flat, and Ricky thinks a scary man wants it back.
15
5
"Day of the Time Machine"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
27 February 2016 (2016-02-27)
Ricky wishes he could go back in time after spilling paint on a priceless rug.
16
6
"Day of the Dragon"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
5 March 2016 (2016-03-05)
Ricky orders a takeaway, but will his fortune cookies' predictions come true?
17
7
"Day of the Baby"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
12 March 2016 (2016-03-12)
Ricky is looking after his baby niece and has to use his ninja skills to try to keep her amused.
18
8
"Day of the Band"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
19 March 2016 (2016-03-19)
Ricky decides to form a band, but the instruments he orders don't quite fit the bill.
19
9
"Day of the Werewolf"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
26 March 2016 (2016-03-26)
Gav turns up at the flat, but Ricky thinks there is something a bit strange about his mate.
20
10
"Day of the Six-Pack"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
2 April 2016 (2016-04-02)
Ricky decides to get in shape and makes healthy art, including fruit pom-poms and a salad face place mat.
Series 3 (2017)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
21
1
"Day of the Animals"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
21 January 2017 (2017-01-21)
Gav can't find the right animal costume to run the local marathon. Ricky helps him decide by making a piranha fish bag and a baboon chalk picture.
22
2
"Day of the Match"
Geoff Coward
Howard Davidson and Nick Hutchings
28 January 2017 (2017-01-28)
Ricky's never been good at football, so is horrified to hear his dad has entered him and his 'make-believe' girlfriend into a family tournament.
23
3
"Day of the Egg"
Geoff Coward
Howard Davidson and Nick Hutchings
4 February 2017 (2017-02-04)
Ricky thinks he has nothing to spread on his toast, until a giant egg is delivered. Worried it could contain a baby Tyrannosaurus rex, Ricky distracts himself with art.
Note: Hacker T. Dog makes a cameo appearance in this episode.
24
4
"Day of the Yeti"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
11 February 2017 (2017-02-11)
Ricky hears that a Yeti has been spotted in Bristol and he is determined to lure the mysterious creature and be the first to photograph it.
25
5
"Day of the Dream"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
18 February 2017 (2017-02-18)
Ricky is having really weird dreams, which lead to him to make surreal art including giant hands and a burger hat inspired by René Magritte.
26
6
"Day of the Vlog"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
25 February 2017 (2017-02-25)
Gav thinks that he could get rich and famous by filming a vlog about being the art ninja's annoying best friend. Ricky wants in as well.
27
7
"Day of the Invisibility"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
4 March 2017 (2017-03-04)
Sarah's bought a onesie that turns her invisible and she and Ricky use it to plays tricks on Gav. Ricky conjures a geometric kite design.
28
8
"Day of the Spy"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
11 March 2017 (2017-03-11)
Ricky's always wanted to be a spy, but when he starts receiving mysterious phone calls full of code words he's not so sure.
29
9
"Day of the Ancestor"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings
18 March 2017 (2017-03-18)
Sarah's bought a onesie that turns her invisible and she and Ricky use it to plays tricks on Gav. Ricky conjures a geometric kite design.
Series 4 (2018)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
31
1
"Day of the Food Fest"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings, Richard Hunt & Jo Killingley
20 January 2018 (2018-01-20)
Ricky enters a foodie competition run by Nadiya Hussain whilst Gav cooks up some unlikely food combos.
32
2
"Day of the Fairytale"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings, Richard Hunt & Jo Killingley
27 January 2018 (2018-01-27)
Ricky becomes part of a fairytale when his virtual assistant trolls him. Sarah becomes a wicked witch and Gav is with three little pigs.
33
3
"Day of the Competition"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
3 February 2018 (2018-02-03)
Ricky and Gav watch Officially Amazing and they rediscover their competitiveness and attempt to break several records.
34
4
"Day of the Hair"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
10 February 2018 (2018-02-10)
Short Summary
35
5
"Day of the Driving Test"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
17 February 2018 (2018-02-17)
Short Summary
36
6
"Day Of The Gossip"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
24 February 2018 (2018-02-24)
Short Summary
37
7
"Day Of The Superfan"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
3 March 2018 (2018-03-03)
Short Summary
Note: Hacker T. Dog makes a cameo appearance in this episode.
38
8
"Day Of The Dummy"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
10 March 2018 (2018-03-10)
Short Summary
39
9
"Day Of The Fashion"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
17 March 2018 (2018-03-17)
Short Summary
40
10
"Day Of The World Trip"
Geoff Coward
Nick Hutchings & Richard Hunt
24 March 2018 (2018-03-24)
Short Summary
Series 5 (2018 - 2019)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
41
1
"Day of the Not Christmas"
Geoff Coward
TBC
16 December 2018 (2018-12-16)
Short Summary
42
2
"Day of the Clown"
Geoff Coward
TBC
13 January 2019 (2019-01-13)
Short Summary
Note: Hacker T. Dog makes a cameo appearance in this episode.
