ENTERTAINMENT RIGHTS SECURES ADDITIONAL
BBC COMMISSION FOR BASIL BRUSH(R)
Entertainment Rights Plc ("ER"), one of the UK's leading independent media
groups specialising in children's and family programming, characters and brands,
today announces that leading UK broadcaster, the BBC has commissioned a further
13 x 30 minute episodes of The Basil Brush ShowTM for the BBC and the CBBC
channel. The agreement brings the total number of episodes of
The Basil Brush ShowTM under license to the BBC to 65.
This agreement represents a significant programming commitment from the BBC and
ensures a broadcast platform for The Basil Brush ShowTM beyond 2010. This
commission follows the huge success of The Basil Brush ShowTM which is the
Number 1 rated children's sitcom in the UK airing on BBC 1, BBC 2 and CBBC
digital. Basil Brush(R) is firmly established as a core BBC character and
regularly appears as a presenter across the BBC channels including presenting
CBBC Xtra (interactive) and appearing in live web chats for the CBBC website.
The Basil Brush(R) website www.basilbrush.com attracted circa 8 million hits in
the last month alone.
For the first time ever the new series will feature Basil Brush(R) in animated
form with each episode including up to 6 animated segments of Basil Brush(R) and
friends. These short animated segments will be exploited across a wide range of
new digital media and online platforms including interactive, downloads, games
and hand held devices. The new series of The Basil Brush ShowTM including these
animated segments will air on the BBC this Autumn and will be launched
internationally at global television market, MIPCOM, in October 2006.
Mike Heap, CEO, Entertainment Rights Plc commented:
"The inclusion of animated segments in The Basil Brush Show opens up new
opportunities for the Basil Brush brand. With these shorter segments of
programming we are well placed to exploit the increasing number of new digital
opportunities available to us in this changing media environment. This new
commission underlines the BBC's commitment to Basil Brush and we are delighted
to be continuing our partnership with them."
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