BBC Worldwide Adds New Licensee for In the Night Garden

LONDON, July 23: BBC
Worldwide has entered into a licensing deal with VTech for a line of electronic
learning aids based on In the Night Garden.

The new range, targeted at
children 6 months and up, will feature characters from the Ragdoll-produced
series, including four In the Night Garden-licensed hard-line products as well as software for
the V.Smile Baby Infant Development System. The line will be available in
fall/winter 2009.

Julie Kekwick, the senior
accounts manager for BBC Worldwide, said, “This new partnership with VTech
symbolizes a significant extension of our licensing program for In the Night
Garden—we're able to offer
preschoolers an opportunity to learn through play and interaction with their
favorite characters with these new products in a way that we've not done
before. VTech have a fantastic track record in combining educational elements
with real play value—we worked to great success with them on Teletubbies.”

Andrew Barrett, VTech’s
European product development director, added, “We are delighted to be joining
forces with BBC Worldwide and such a popular and established license. VTech
already offers a strong range of toys for infants and children, which will be
strengthened by this new partnership. The new range will offer retailers something
unique combining the popularity of the television show with high-quality VTech
toys.”

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski