Disney Channel programmers from North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific have joined forces to acquire global rights for the stop-motion animated series TIMMY from the acclaimed UK production company Aardman Animations (WALLACE & GROMIT).
It is scheduled to premiere in 2009 on Playhouse Disney channels and programming blocks around the world. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, President, Disney Channels Worldwide.
"TIMMY is a unique show from world-class auspices and is consistent with our strategy to offer endearing characters and stories with universal life lessons for preschoolers and caregivers to enjoy together," said Gary Marsh, President of Disney Channels Worldwide.
TIMMY marks Aardman's foray into television for preschoolers and combines the production company's award-winning stop-motion animation style with the colorful simplicity of animation for kids ages 2 to 5 years old. The short-form series stars a charming little sheep, 3-year-old Timmy, a character based on sketches by Academy Award-winner Nick Park (WALLACE & GROMIT IN A CLOSE SHAVE) and introduced on the award-winning series SHAUN THE SHEEP airing on Disney Channels around the world.
Miles Bullough, Head of Broadcast at Aardman, said, "Having worked with Disney Channels in several territories on SHAUN THE SHEEP, it made complete sense for us join forces on 'Timmy' -- we know that they will take great care of our latest offspring."
Timmy is an adorable little lamb, but he's got a lot to learn. Each episode will follow a day in the life of Timmy as he learns something about himself and all of his friends -- an assortment of bright young animals, some farmyard, some domestic and some wild. Timmy's world is set over the hill and down the lane from Shaun's Farm and is a bright, colorful, stylized world with its own unique look.
The creative producer and supervising director is BAFTA winner Jackie Cockle (BOB THE BUILDER, NODDY and CINDERELLA). The executive producer is Bullough (SHAUN THE SHEEP).
