TV-Loonland has licensed its multi-format animated property Pat & Stan to British children’s channel CITV, which is owned by U.K. commercial broadcaster ITV. Selected shorts have also been licensed to ITV1. CITV has acquired U.K. broadcast and online rights for all available formats, including 350 shorts, a half-hour ‘Treasure Hunt’ special and the new series of 39 seven-minute episodes set for delivery in the spring of 2009. The shorts will premiere on CITV’s website soon as a lead up to the TV launch scheduled for this Christmas.
Already sold into more than 80 territories, the CG-animated Pat & Stan is a co-production between French animation producer Mac Guff, TF1 in France and TV-Loonland. In the show, best friends Pat and Stan just cannot help turning everything into a crazy adventure. Bursting with energy and humor, the tireless twosome love to play practical jokes on each other and the cast of colorful characters in their town.
Justine Bannister, head of distribution and acquisitions at TV-Loonland, comments, ‘CITV is a key international broadcaster of kids programming, so we are absolutely thrilled that they have come onboard and delighted to be involved with their integrated strategy both on air and online. It is inspiring to see how fully committed they are to nurturing the show to give it the best possible exposure. This will be essential when expanding the brand across other media in the U.K., and will have a more than positive impact on the widespread licensing program beginning in the first half of next year.’
