Nickelodeon Picks Up Contender Animated Series

LONDON, September 15:
Nickelodeon International has acquired the animated preschool series Ben and
Holly’s Little Kingdom from the
Contender Entertainment Group, which created the hit Peppa Pig.

The 52 episodes of the
series, currently in production, will be broadcast across Nickelodeon’s network
of 43 international channels throughout Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the
Middle East and Latin America in 2009.

A new production from the
BAFTA Award-winning team Astley Baker Davies, Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom is set in a tiny land of elves, fairies and small
animals. The series centers on Princess Holly, a young fairy who is still
learning how to do magic properly, and Ben, an elf who is her best friend.

Jules Borkent, the senior VP of global acquisitions and
international programming at Nickelodeon and MTV Networks International, said:
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Contender Entertainment Group again
having achieved such success with Peppa Pig. Ben
and Holly’s Little Kingdom comprises all the key qualities we look for in
Nickelodeon programming: it’s fun and magical with strong characters and
compelling story lines, and I have no doubt it will be yet another hit with our
audiences around the world next year.”

Muriel Thomas, the head of
Contender Distribution, added: “The attraction of a series that combines charm,
wit and originality with the impressive pedigree of the creators of Peppa
Pig is already proving
irresistible. We are delighted that Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom will be joining Peppa on one of the biggest names in children’s
television and we feel sure that we can look forward to further successes for
the series in the run-up to its launch in 2009.”

—By Jackie Stewart