Disney Channel Launches Playhouse Disney in the U.K.

LONDON, October 26: Disney Channels UK will launch the new
preschool channel Playhouse Disney +, the U.K.’s first twenty-five minute
staggercast, on Sky.

Beginning October 30, Playhouse Disney + will broadcast to
millions of Sky customers alongside sister channel Playhouse Disney, as part of
the “Kids Mix” of basic channels.

Playhouse Disney will feature shows like My Friends
Tigger & Pooh, Mickey Mouse
Clubhouse and Little Einsteins. Each tackles different areas of child development,
from early math to social interaction, problem solving to teamwork, and
Playhouse Disney + aims to help reinforce these positive messages through
repetition.

The launch of Playhouse Disney + coincides with the new
series Bunnytown, a music- and
humor-filled puppet variety show for preschoolers, produced at Elstree Studios.
It premieres on Playhouse Disney on November 3 at 9 a.m. with an immediate
repeat on Playhouse Disney +.

Rob Gilby, the managing director of Disney Channels UK,
commented: “Playhouse Disney aims to help parents raise happy, well-rounded
children and part of this is offering a schedule tailored to their needs. Most
staggercast channels are based on the concept of time-shifting alone hence the
standard plus one approach. Playhouse Disney + takes into account both
time-shifting and potential repetition, which we hope will offer more
flexibility for parents and preschoolers.”

—By Irene Lew