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Â鶹Éç Worldwide today confirmed the signing of two new licensees to develop and distribute pre-school property 3rd & Bird! into the UK wood and wheeled toy market. Following the announcement of Fisher-Price as master toy licensee in December, Â鶹Éç Worldwide has inked deals with DanJam for wooden toys and MV Sports for wheeled toys with product set to launch in 2010.

Â鶹Éç Worldwide holds the global distribution rights including programme distribution, DVD and merchandising for 3rd & Bird! which is produced by Little Airplane Productions, creators of the phenomenally successful The Wonder Pets. The series has been created in bold and colourful photo-puppetry animation – a style of animation created by Little Airplane – and is aimed at 3 to 5 year old children.

Julie Kekwick, Senior Licensing Manager for Toys at Â鶹Éç Worldwide says, "3rd & Bird! is proving extremely popular on CBeebies at the moment which is a great platform to gauge interest in the property. With a raft of new licensees signed up to develop the brand further into toys and other apparel, we're confident 3rd & Bird! is going to shake a few feathers in the pre-school licensing arena."

DanJam's 3rd & Bird! range will include wooden stacking toys, pull along vehicles, play sets and musical instruments.

MV Sports will develop a range of 3rd & Bird! Inspired wheeled toys, including trikes, scooters, and ride-ons.

Warren Traeger, Director of DanJam Toys says, "Following the success of the wooden In the Night Garden range in 2008, we are thrilled to be partnering with Â鶹Éç Worldwide again on 3rd & Bird! It's such a fun and vibrant brand that it lends itself perfectly to the development of wooden toys. With a planned retail launch of Spring 2010, we look forward to presenting the initial range to customers later in 2009."

Phil Ratcliffe, Sales and Marketing Director, MV Sports says, "MV are delighted once again, to be working with Â鶹Éç Worldwide on this exciting new property. For MV, 3rd & Bird ticks all the right boxes in terms of television platform, licensing potential and intrinsic appeal. Our product range will reflect the charm, humour and musical attributes of this great new pre-school show."

Fisher-Price's product line will debut in Spring/Summer 2010 in the UK with the roll-out in other markets, including the US, expected to follow. Under the multi-year master toy licence, Fisher-Price has global rights (excluding Asia) to develop pre-school, infant and toddler toys including electronic and non-electronic plastic figurines, toys, vehicles, play sets and feature and standard plush.

Interest in 3rd & Bird! - which centres on a community of birds that live, learn and play in the branches of a beautiful tree – continues to grow with a raft of new licensees already confirmed and the Â鶹Éç Worldwide team on hand at Toy Fair to discuss the property in greater detail.

Â鶹Éç Children's DVD will release the first DVD of the series on 30th March 2009, containing eight episodes under the title 3rd & Bird: Bird's the Word! Priced at £12.99, and available from all good retailers in time for Easter gifting, the DVD is the first line of merchandise from this new animated property.

Â鶹Éç Children's Books and Â鶹Éç Audiobooks will launch their publishing ranges to time with the first line of toys in Spring 2010. The ranges will include audiobook, storybooks, novelty and sound books.

Aykroyds and TDP Licensing, who hold existing Â鶹Éç Worldwide licenses for Doctor Who, Primeval and In the Night Garden, have been signed for Nightwear and Underwear to launch the range in Spring 2010. Also in clothing, Roy Lowe and Sons has agreed a deal for 3rd & Bird! socks and William Lamb will develop wellies, slippers and trainers.

Character World will produce branded 3rd & Bird! bedding including curtains, beanbags, beanchairs, cushions, towels, ponchos, sleeping bags, fleece blankets and rugs which will launch in Autumn 2010. H&A – with whom Â鶹Éç Worldwide has worked successfully on Charlie and Lola - has been signed up for toiletries for 3rd & Bird!, the range will include toiletries, textiles, bath toys and accessories. Spearmark will produce Homewares and Lighting with a range including tableware, lunch bags, waterbottles and a range of lighting. Products will launch Spring 2010 and Autumn 2010.

Ravensburger, who have partnered previously with Â鶹Éç Worldwide on Doctor Who, In the Night Garden and Charlie and Lola, has been appointed to develop a range of puzzles and card games with plans to launch by early 2010.

Finally, Danilo is also on board with 3rd & Bird! and will produce a range of greeting cards and calendars for Spring/Summer 2010.


NOTES TO EDITORS

About DanJam Toys
DanJam Toys is the UK's leading manufacturer of licensed wooden toys. Established in 2006 and now a subsidiary of Martin Yaffe International, DanJam Toys has the moist comprehensive range of pre-school brands including In the Night Garden, Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Mr Men/Little Miss.

About Little Airplane Productions
Founded by Josh Selig in 1999, Little Airplane Productions created and produced The Wonder Pets! for Nick Jr., Go, Baby! for Playhouse Disney, Oobi! for NOGGIN (winner of a 2001 Gold Parents' Choice Award) and 3rd & Bird! for the Â鶹Éç's CBeebies. Additionally, Josh Selig was the Head Writer for Little Bill on Nick Jr. He has received ten Emmy Awards for his writing on Sesame Street, and was the Resident Producer of the historic Israeli/Palestinian Sesame Street co-production (winner of the 1998 Japan Prize). Josh Selig writes a weekly column for Kidscreen Magazine called "Planet Preschool" which can be read at . In 2008, Little Airplane was honoured to receive a Crain's Small Business Award. For more information about Little Airplane Productions please visit .


Anna Kingsley/Lisa Barker

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