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´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide at MIPCOM 2008, Stand G3.40
In the Night Garden 100 x 30'

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On the eve of MIPCOM Junior, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide – the commercial arm of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ - today announced that In the Night Garden, the UK pre-school programme from Ragdoll Productions, has been sold to Gulli and Tiji in France, taking the total TV sales so far to 24 countries including Canada, Australia and Spain.

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Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Children's and Licensing for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, said: "France is a really important territory to us and these sales enable us to open up additional platforms to launch our merchandising, publishing and DVD plans. These, in turn, provide valuable revenue to be invested back in to programming and services at the ´óÏó´«Ã½."

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UK success story
A pre-school success story in the UK from the creators of the Teletubbies, In the Night Garden has triumphed with high ratings, awards and press accolades since its launch in Spring 2007. It was the fastest growing new toy property in 2007, beating other newcomer High School Musical and being valued at £10.8 million*.

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To date the property has sold over half a million DVDs and over 1.5 million books. Hasbro's Blanket Time Igglepiggle scooped the prestigious Toy of the Year award and scored exceptional sales success in the run up to Christmas in 2007.

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This year Upsy Daisy and Her Chase and Play Bed is hotly tipped by top retailers Toys R Us, Hamleys and Argos as one of the top toys for Christmas.

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Europe
In France, In the Night Garden launched this week on Gulli, a children's channel jointly owned by the France Télévisions public service group and the Lagardère group. The pre-school hit will broadcast every morning at 06:20 and every evening at 20:30.

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Tiji, a cabsat pre-school channel owned by Lagardère will broadcast the programme every day at 06:00, repeating on weekdays (except Wednesday) at 14:55.

A mid-September launch in Spain is already proving a ratings success. After just 18 broadcasts on public service broadcaster TVE, the channel has reported an almost 25% audience share for the programme known as "El Jardin de los Sueños", in the popular Los Lunnnis time slot of 07:30.

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In Europe In the Night Garden has also been sold to Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Denmark, Serbia, Sweden, Lithuania.

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The programme has also sold to the Middle East including Iran and Israel, South Africa and India - where it broadcasts on the CBeebies channel.

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Asia
Recent sales deals of In the Night Garden in Asia include the media company Everyshow in Korea, Malaysia on RTM and Singapore on Kids Central as well as to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

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Australia
Launched on ABC1 in Australia this April, In the Night Garden enjoys an averages 25% audience share each morning at 09:00, repeating on ABC2 at midday and Saturday mornings.

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Hasbro toy sales in the region recently surpassed Thomas the Tank Engine and Dora the Explorer toy sales**. Ìý

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Publishing is proving equally strong with 11 book titles selling-through 121,000 units since hitting the shelves in June***,Ìý with more than 45,000 DVD units sold-through since initial release in early August.

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In the Night Garden has also sold to New Zealand.

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The Americas
In the Night Garden launched on Canada's Treehouse in February 2008. The show airs 7 days a week and draws strong ratings. Hasbro and Penguin launched new product to market in the Summer. The programme has also sold to Trinidad in South America.

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Alongside In the Night Garden, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide presents a slate of award-winning and new children's programmes at MIPCOM 2008.

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Charlie and Lola
Series 1-3 78 x 12'
Christmas Special 1 x 22'
Autumn Special 1 x 22'

A Tiger Aspect Production for ´óÏó´«Ã½

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Lola is four and she "will not ever, NEVER eat a tomato!"

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Sometimes she is "not sleepy and will not go to bed", and how will she cope when she is really everso ill and may never smile again? It falls to big brother Charlie to win her round, and he uses every trick in the book – logic, humour, and the power of the imagination.

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Eating yucky, sticky mashed potato instantly becomes an expedition to the top of Mount Fuji tasting spoonfuls of cloud fluff. And tomatoes? They're really moonsquirters from the land of Moon! Using 2D CelAction animation, paper cutout, fabric design, real textures, photomontage and archive footage, all the distinctive style and exuberance of Lauren Child's award-winning picture books come to life.

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Glorious music and sound effects help to conjure up fantastical worlds that only children could invent, while realistic dialogue, voiced by children, ensures these magical adventures really resonate with kids.

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Harry and Toto
26 x 10'

A Handle and Spout Production for ´óÏó´«Ã½

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Meet Harry the hare and Toto the tortoise. They live at opposite ends of Opposite Town. If Harry walks down Long Street, Toto will go up Short Street.

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Harry the hare rushes about the place while Toto - in proper tortoise style - takes things at a slightly slower pace. But despite this, they're best of friends!

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Different opposites are tackled in each episode, visiting the different approaches of Harry and Toto. The story follows them as they realise that for every fast, there is a slow and for every door that closes another opens.

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Throughout viewers are invited to tell the difference between which resident of Opposite Town needs to help Harry or Toto with their problem and at the end of each episode the narrator recaps the opposite combination featured in the show - making it engaging from beginning to end.

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Harry and Toto are characters with distinct personalities. While Harry rushes in, only to mess it up, Toto usually has the answers. This is an engaging series with a distinctive musical score, fast-paced animation set to become a children's classic.

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Freefonix
40 x 25'

A Cinnamon/Method/Toonz Production for ´óÏó´«Ã½

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Welcome to Los Bosmos, the glitzy metropolis of mega-corporation Comaco, sellers of anything and everything to everyone everywhere. Mya De Zya – CEO of Comaco – guided by an evil sonic Lord called Vox – is aiming for world domination, whatever the consequences.

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Somewhere out there are the Freewavers – a group of kids who dress their own way, make their own music and generally steer clear of the plasticised Comaco products. But there is one force the kids will follow: the magical 13th note first discovered by Mantis who quickly sold out its powers to Vox and Mya.

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But now three freedom-fighting funksters BB, Freezbone and Mostart – together FREEFONIX – have the 13th note too, giving the kids their voice and hope for a life beyond Comaco. Can they save the Freewaver's world from Vox and Mya?

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Follow their battles in forty action, comedy and music packed episodes of spectacular 3D animation.

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The Sarah Jane Adventures
Series 1-2 Ìý22 x 30'
1 x 60' Special

A ´óÏó´«Ã½ Production

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Sarah Jane Smith is a truly remarkable woman. She inhabits a world of mystery, danger and wonder. A world where aliens are commonplace and the Earth is constantly under threat. A world that Maria Jackson – a seemingly ordinary girl – can only dream of until she moves in next door.

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Nothing will ever be ordinary again. From award-winning Russell T Davies, The Sarah Jane Adventures are thrilling stories for children. Big adventures, superb effects, wicked comedy.

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MI High
Series 1-3 36 x 30'

A Kudos Film & Television production for ´óÏó´«Ã½

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The 21st Century faces a new threat. The old school spies have had their day. Luckily, there's a new kind of skilled undercover agent, hidden in a place where no villain would think to look...

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This is Saint Hope, an inner city comprehensive concealing a crack team of teen experts working for the British government.

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Together, karate black-belt Blane, social chameleon Daisy and technical whiz-kid Rose must use all their gadgetry and guile to prevent the Super Kriminal Underworld League (S.K.U.L.) from achieving evil world domination - and prevent their classmates from finding out what they're up to!

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The gang's flashing red pencil erasers signal the alert for each new mission, given to them by the school janitor Lenny, actually an M.I.9. agent operating out of an underground HQ setup accessed from his store cupboard. Fast-paced, action-packed adventure from the makers of Spooks.

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Robbie the Reindeer
Hooves of Fire 1 x 30'

The Legend of the Lost Tribe 1 x 30'

Produced by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Animation Unit for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide Ltd in association with Comic Relief

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Robbie is cute, cuddly and charismatic; and he's got nose navigation equipment more accurate than any global positioning system. Unfortunately, he is also lazy, lardy and a bit lost in life.

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In Hooves of Fire and The Legend of the Lost Tribe, Robbie manages to win a place on Santa's sleigh team, defeat the evil Blitzen and even woo the girl of his dreams.

Anna Kingsley

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Notes for Editors
*Source NPD data
** Source GFK, 14th September 2008 - week 37, data represents 68% of the Australian market
*** Source Bookscan data, 13th September 2008

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In the Night Garden is produced by Ragdoll Productions and has been created by Andrew Davenport, who with Anne Wood created the Teletubbies. It is about a magical picture-book place that exists between waking and sleeping in a child's imagination.Ìý Words, rhymes and music carry young viewers through a happy world of loveable characters and nursery rhyme nonsense.

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In the Night Garden has been filmed in a real woodland setting using High Definition technology to create a compelling and fully immersive experience for young viewers.

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