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Disney Channel Invests in U.K. Production

Disney Channel Worldwide's Global Original Programming Division today announced deals to develop two new children's television shows in the U.K. with production companies Coolabi and Blue-Zoo Productions. The deals are the first to be announced by Disney Channel's London-based Global Original Programming hub, established in April 2007 to drive forward the investment in and development of live action and animation outside of North America, for both European and global distribution.

VP Steve Aranguren has expanded his team to support the local production drive, appointing David Freedman Senior Development Manager and Baljeet Rai as Senior Manager, Production. Freedman will oversee the development and production of long-form animated and live-action series for Disney Channel, EMEA, while Rai will manage animated series production.

Disney Channel has optioned the rights to THE SHAILA SHOW (working title), a live-action/animation comedy from Coolabi, and the animated CLEVER CLOGS (working title) from Blue-Zoo Productions. THE SHAILA SHOW is about a young girl who solves her problems through an alternate reality where she is the host of her own anarchic talk show. CLEVER CLOGS is aimed at the tween market and blends the warmhearted comedy writing of Bob Baker (WALLIS AND GROMIT) with the comedy madness, design and animation of Blue-Zoo. The quirky series, directed by Oliver Hyatt, follows the adventures of Milly, a normal girl in a very unnormal jerry-rigged family.

In addition to these new deals, Disney Channel is already working with Chorion to bring to life an updated, animated version of Enid Blyton's FAMOUS FIVE, due to hit screens across the world in 2008.