In the Night Garden Heads to China

LONDON: BBC Worldwide has sold all 100 episodes of the preschool series In the Night Garden to Chinese Central Television (CCTV).

Produced by Ragdoll Productions, In the Night Garden tells the story of a magical picture-book place where a diverse community of toys live out comical adventures together. The show has been a strong performer in the U.K. on CBeebies, and will launch in China on CCTV in the second half of the year. Additionally, UYoung has been appointed as licensing agent for In the Night Garden, responsible for developing a comprehensive licensing program. The first product lines are set to launch later this year.

Joyce Yeung, the senior VP and general manager of sales and distribution in Asia for BBC Worldwide, said: "Children in China expect and demand the best quality entertainment so we’re delighted to be able to bring the magic of the innovative In the Night Garden to their TV screens."

Neil Ross Russell, the managing director of BBC Worldwide Children’s and Licensing, added: "The success of In the Night Garden in the U.K. is well-documented and we’re now seeing that success being replicated across the world. This deal is another example of the fact that great preschool programming can cut through cultural differences—kids the world over are gripped by the adventures of Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and their friends. We look forward to welcoming Chinese children into that global family and hope that we can provide as many different ways for them to enjoy the brand as exist here in the U.K."