Tiger Aspect Productions has signed a three-year deal with Nickelodeon U.K. for its hit series, animated MR BEAN, bringing the outlandish animated adventures of one of the worlds most recognizable comic figures to strip throughout the week on Nicktoons TV in February 2004.
Commissioned by ITVs controller of comedy, Sioned William, the series has sold to more than 40 territories, including Super RTL Germany, ABC Australia, Disney Asia, SVT Sweden, YLE Finland, CBC Canada, Forte Spain, RTE Ireland and ATV Hong Kong. Worldwide television sales, excluding U.K., U.S., Japan and Hungary, are handled by Fremantle International Distribution.
BBC Worldwide has picked up the television and video rights to MR BEAN for the Japanese market and is negotiating with broadcast partners in that territory.
A range of deals are in place with leading licensing and merchandising partners. VIP oversees licensing for France, Ideal Licensing in Italy, El Ocho in Spain and Portugal and EEMC in Eastern Europe. Further partners on onboard include Licensing Works in Australasia, Copyright Promotions in Benelux, MerchandisingMedia in Germany, Pro-Licensing in Scandinavia, The Sharpe Company in North America and Entertainment Rights in the U.K.
Animated MR BEAN is produced by Tiger Aspect Prods. in association with Richard Purdum Prods. and Varga Holdings.
Debbie MacDonald, head of acquisitions & co-productions at Nickelodeon said: MR BEAN is a very funny show and is ideal for Nicktoons TV. The quality of the scriptwriting and animation will have our audience hooked. Whilst some of the plots are a bit chaotic, and Mr Bean does have a very long-winded way of getting the simplest things done, the feel of the show is in keeping with the channels philosophy of your day in a toon way.
Tiger Aspect is a prolific U.K. independent producer of comedy, drama, entertainment, animation, factual, plus music and arts programming. The studio produces for all five U.K. terrestrial broadcasters and a range of cable and satellite channels. For more on Tiger Aspect check out www.tigeraspect.co.uk.
