Georgina Hurcombe, creator of the internationally broadcast children’s television series Pop Paper City and Founder and Managing Director of LoveLove Films, has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in The King’s Birthday Honours List 2026 for services to television and the creative sector.
Over the course of her career, Georgina has established herself as a creator, entrepreneur, mentor and advocate for emerging talent. After founding her Dorset studio following redundancy in her twenties, she went on to develop original intellectual property, create opportunities for artists and animators, and champion the value of British creativity both at home and internationally.
The Global Success of Pop Paper City
Her preschool TV series, Pop Paper City, distributed to 180 territories worldwide by Aardman, has been broadcast to millions of children on leading broadcasters including Milkshake!, CBeebies, HBO, ABC and many others, reaching audiences in multiple languages and cultures. Built around the philosophy of ‘doing as well as viewing’, the series encourages children to engage with creativity through adventure, crafting, imagination and problem solving, inspiring them to become active creators rather than passive consumers.
Alongside her work as a founder and producer, Georgina has dedicated significant time to supporting the wider creative industries and charitable causes. She has mentored emerging talent, speaks at industry events and workshops, contributes to panels and advisory groups, championed opportunities for women in animation, advocated for neurodivergent creatives, and supported initiatives focused on skills development across the sector.
Most recently, Georgina was appointed to the ScreenSkills Animation Skills Council, helping to support the future development of skills, training and opportunities across the UK animation industry. At a time when ownership of original British intellectual property is increasingly important, she has consistently championed the development of homegrown content that can travel globally while retaining its British identity and values.
Commenting on the honour, Georgina states:
“I am incredibly honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. The creative industries have given me opportunities I could only have dreamed of when I was growing up, and I have always felt strongly about helping to open doors for others. As a neurodivergent child, school was not always an easy place for me. My strengths were not always reflected in traditional measures of success. What made a difference was creativity. Great British programmes such as Blue Peter and Art Attack showed me that ideas mattered, that making things mattered, and that there were different ways to learn, communicate and contribute.
Through Pop Paper City, I wanted to create a series built around the idea of ‘doing as well as viewing’, encouraging children to move from passive watching to active creating. At a time when British children’s television faces significant challenges, I believe it is more important than ever that we continue to protect and invest in high quality British children’s content. This award belongs not only to me, but to the talented teams, collaborators, mentors, partners and creatives I have had the privilege of working and growing alongside throughout my career.”
A full BAFTA member, ScreenSkills Animation Skills Council member, The Great British Businesswomen Awards winner (Media Businesswoman of the Year) and a two-time MIPTV Producer to Watch, Georgina Hurcombe continues to champion original British IP, creative education, talent development and innovation across the creative industries.
