'The Backyardigans' creator Janice Burgess dies of breast cancer at 72

Jay Stahl, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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"The Backyardigans" creator and former Nickelodeon executive Janice Burgess has died at 72.

Representatives for Nickelodeon confirmed Burgess' death to USA TODAY in a statement on Tuesday.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of one of the great architects of Nick Jr. and creator of the globally beloved series 'The Backyardigans.' Janice was one of the greats − inherently creative and kind, and dedicated to the preschool audience everywhere," the statement read.

The two-time Daytime Emmy winner's death was also confirmed by Nick Jr. creator Brown Johnson, a friend who told The New York Times she died of breast cancer.

Janice Burgess, creator of "The Backyardigans," at a Nickelodeon luncheon at the National Press Club on June 28, 2005, in Washington.
Janice Burgess, creator of "The Backyardigans," at a Nickelodeon luncheon at the National Press Club on June 28, 2005, in Washington.

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"The Backyardigans" became a hit with preschoolers after it debuted on Nickelodeon. The animated musical series ran for four seasons between 2004 and 2013.

The show follows animal neighbors Austin, Tasha, Tyrone, Pablo and Uniqua as they seek out fun-filled adventure and reimagine their backyard as different landscapes. Song and dance was central to the themes featured in the series, which was partly inspired by Burgess' own childhood backyard adventures growing up in Pittsburgh.

“I really remember it as a wonderful, happy, safe place,” Burgess once told The New York Times. “You could have these great adventures just romping around. From there, you could go anywhere or do anything.”

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And one of the five characters was even inspired by her.

“Uniqua is me. Or at least, who I was as a kid,” Burgess explained. “She’s a ringleader. Out of the five, Uniqua is the main character, and we use her in every story. I think most preschoolers have a sense of their own specialness, and that’s what Uniqua is about.”

In 2021, "The Backyardigans" had a post-pandemic moment on TikTok when a pair of songs from the program, "Into the Thick of It!" and "Castaways," delighted the internet and 2000s kids alike.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Janice Burgess dead: 'The Backyardigans' creator, 72, dies of cancer