“Reading Rainbow” is making a comeback, with Sony Pictures Television ordering 24 additional episodes of the educational children’s series.
Mychal Threets, who hosted the initial episodes of the series’ revival in 2025, is set to return. The new episodes will feature new celebrities and books that will be announced at a later date.
SPT will produce and distribute the series with talks already underway. Exclusive shortened episodes will also be available on Kidzuko, SPT – Kids YouTube channel, which was launched in 2024. Embassy Row produces for Sony Pictures Television, in association with Buffalo Toronto Public Media.
“Reading Rainbow,” which first premiered in 1983 and ran until 2006, was designed to use television to inspire children’s love of reading and build lasting connections between kids and books.
The show would be revived in 2025 on Kidzuko in an effort to motivate, help and encourage kids to become avid readers with new episodes, new friends, new projects and new books. The four episodes available on YouTube amassed over 4.79 million views after being released in the fall.
The new episodes featured celebrity guests including Rylee Arnold and Ezra Sosa from “Dancing With the Stars,” Ebon Moss-Bachrach from “The Bear” and “More Than Peach” author Bellen Woodard. The books were narrated by Jamie Chung, Gabrielle Union, Adam DeVine, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.
Kristen McGregor (“Blippi’s Treehouse,” “Ms. Rachel” and “Sesame Street”) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Other EPs include Michael Davies (“Jeopardy!”) for Embassy Row and Tom Calderone and Nancy Hammond for Buffalo Toronto Public Media.
“When I saw the response to the relaunch of Reading Rainbow and the enthusiasm for Mychal as host, it was clear there is a passionate audience that truly values educational children’s programming,” Davies said in a statement. “This series offers more than entertainment—it empowers viewers through reading, which feels especially critical at a time when literacy rates are in historic decline. I’m incredibly excited to welcome Kristen and her expertise as we continue to evolve the show and discover what new magic Reading Rainbow can bring.”
“We’ve been working for several years to bring ‘Reading Rainbow’ back, and Michael Davies and Embassy Row have been the ideal partners to help make that vision a reality,” Calderone added. “Seeing the impact these first four episodes have already had confirms that the timing is right — and that evolving the series for today’s audiences is both necessary and meaningful.”
In addition to “Reading Rainbow,” SPT–Kids’ productions include “Super Kitties,” “Octonauts,” “Octonauts: Above and Beyond,” “Creature Cases,” the Emmy Award-winning “Hilda,” Netflix’s “Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt,” Nickelodeon’s “Peter Rabbit” and “Sunny Day,” and Lionel Messi’s upcoming animated series “Messi and the Giants” for Disney Branded Television.
