The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 36th International Emmy Awards Monday night at a gala event held in the New York Hilton, hosted by award-winning stage and screen actor Roger Bart, currently leading in Mel Brooks' new Broadway musical, YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.
Aardman Animations' hit children's show SHAUN THE SHEEP won the Children and Young People award. Exec producers on the show are Miles Bullough, Peter Lord, David Sproxton, Nick Park, Michael Carrington and Nikki Chaplin. Julie Lockhart is the producer. Directors are Richard Goleszowski, Christopher Sadler and JP Vine. Writers include Ian Carney, Glenn Dakin, Trevor Ricketts, Richard Goleszowski and Rob Dudley. The principal cast includes John Sparkes, Justin Fletcher, Kate Harbour, Rich Webber and Jo Allen.
How much mischief can one sheep create? Plenty when that sheep is Shaun. His insatiable curiosity and irrepressible sense of fun lead him into the unlikeliest adventures, much to the exasperation of long-suffering sheepdog Bitzer and the amusement of the rest of the flock.
SHAUN THE SHEEP beat out fellow nominees I FEEL THE WORDS (Japan), PATITO FEO, LA HISTORIA MAS LINDA (UGLY DUCKLING) (Argentina) and PING-PONG (Norway).
The show has proved to be a huge hit both in the U.K. and internationally. A new series of 40x7-minute episodes starts shooting in early 2009 for CBBC and Aardman has already secured a number of pre-sales for the second season of show.
Among the broadcasters who have snapped up the latest adventures of Shaun are ABC Australia, TF1 France, WDR Germany, YLE Finland, SVT Sweden, DR Denmark and Noga in Israel.
The first season of SHAUN THE SHEEP has racked up television sales and licensing deals in over 150 territories and has won several prestigious accolades including the Cristal Award for Best TV Production at the Annecy Animated Film Festival 2007, the Audience Choice Award at the World Comedy Film Festival 2007 and winner of the Age 5-10 Audience and Parent's Choice Awards at the New York International Film Festival 2007.
