Aardman's First Venture Into Pre-School Programming Proves a Hit

Press Release from Aardman Rights

Bristol, 17 June 2009. Leading independent distributor Aardman Rights is delighted to announce the hugely successful debut of its preschool property TIMMY TIME on CBeebies.

According to BARB, TIMMY TIME has been watched by 4.8 million individuals since the programme launched in April*. The show airs three times a day Monday to Friday, and has achieved above average share of carers with children 0-3 and 4-6 year olds in all three time slots, particularly in the afternoons where averages +3.5 share points above the 2008 average for that slot (among carers with children 0-3 & 4-6 year olds).

This winning debut in the UK marks the start of the international rollout of TIMMY TIME with a raft of major broadcast and licensing deals already in place.

In the UK, Aardman has just secured a deal with Trade Mark Collections to launch a range of bags and accessories in high street and grocery stores from the autumn this year. This follows a flurry of activity on the property with Aardman recently securing deals with Golden Bear for wooden toys in the UK and with Jakks Pacific as Master Toy partner for the US and Canada.

Also in the UK, Vivid Imaginations is on board as master toy partner; Egmont has picked up UK and Commonwealth publishing rights to TIMMY TIME, and in a separate deal, Titan Magazines will be producing a monthly comic for the UK and Eire.

International licensing agents secured are HIT Entertainment for North America, SuperRTL for Germany, Kidz Entertainment for Scandianavia and Eastern Europe, Haven licensing for Australia, TF1 for France and Pro Entertainment for Argentina and Brazil.

Sean Clarke, Head of Aardman Rights says: "TIMMY TIME has quickly established a huge fanbase on CBeebies, in particular with housewives with kids which is at the core of any successful preschool licensing programme. We aim to capitalize on this, and will be announcing some fantastic new partnerships over the next few weeks following a very successful licensing show."

TIMMY TIME is also proving to be a major hit with leading international broadcasters, having been picked up by Disney Channels worldwide, including the US, along with ABC TV Australia, TF1 France, SuperRTL for Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. Nickelodeon has acquired the show for Benelux and Aardman has also secured broadcast licenses with Estonian TV, Minimax for Hungary and CEE, HOP! for Israel and Romania, and Al Jazeera Children's Channels for the Middle East.

TIMMY TIME combines Aardman's world-class stop-motion style with the colourful simplicity of classic pre-school animation.

Timmy made his first television appearance in Aardman's hit animated series SHAUN THE SHEEP, which has racked up television sales and licensing deals in over 150 territories and has won several prestigious awards, including the Cristal Award for Best TV Production at the Annecy Animated Film Festival 2007 and an International Emmy for Children and Young People's Award 2008.

Aimed at both boys and girls, TIMMY TIME is non-dialogue, but features a variety of animal noises, comedy, fun and strong character animation. Aardman's Jackie Cockle is Creative Producer and Supervising Director, and Miles Bullough is Executive Producer.

*(Source: BARB, Cumulative three consecutive mins reach, All Individuals in Digital homes)