Universal Music Scores CBeebies Slot for Uki

LONDON: The new animated preschool series Uki, developed by Universal Music, is to air in the U.K. on CBeebies in a daily slot starting early September.

Uki will air as part of the Show Me Show Me program on CBeebies. Each of the 52 5-minute episodes describes a day in the life of Uki, a yellow character who is never without a smile. Licensing for the property is being handled by Universal Music UK’s Neil Jennings.

The show is already airing in Belgium on children’s channels Ketnet and Club RTL, and books, DVDs, greeting cards and plush toys will go to retail there in October. The show has also been sold into Australia, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Poland, Israel, South Africa, Taiwan, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Uki will be available to screen as part of MIP Junior, with BBC Worldwide concluding further deals in the meantime.

Lesley Douglas, Universal Music UK’s managing director of commercial media partnerships and Globe TV, said: "This is a really exciting development for us. Universal Music is all about creativity, and Uki is a brilliant creation with a great character at its heart; it is impossible to watch it without smiling."

Added Neil Jennings, the director of business development at Universal Music UK, "From a U.K. licensing perspective we think Uki is a key prospect for retail in 2011. The show is a breath of fresh air in the often noisy and chaotic world of children’s television and we have a great broadcast partner in CBeebies. Parents will embrace Uki and his friends and the gentle safe adventures they share with toddlers and we are putting together a tight, well managed licensing program to reflect the demand for product we anticipate."

Jackie Edwards from CBeebies commented, ‘‘Show Me, Show Me is a hugely popular part of the CBeebies schedule and Uki fits in there perfectly. Gentle safe exploration and learning make the show ideal for even our youngest audiences."

Salim Mukaddam, the head of audio and music programming at BBC Worldwide, said, "We’re delighted to be working with Universal Music to take Uki to the international market. The initial reception has been phenomenal and we’re expecting big things from the little man. The quality of the animation and the absence of dialogue make the shows immediately accessible for viewers of channels in any territory."