MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, has entered into new deals in Spain for children’s animation series 3rd and Bird.
 
Playhouse Disney and Televisio de Catalunya have both secured broadcasting rights for all episodes and the 20-minute special and will broadcast in Spain from the first quarter of next year.

In a further deal, BBC Worldwide also confirmed the sale of 3rd and Bird! to PTS Channel, Taiwan’s major free-to-air channel. All episodes of the programme have been purchased and will broadcast in Mandarin from early 2010.

3rd and Bird! has enjoyed ratings success in the UK where it has aired on CBeebies since Summer 2008. The programme, aimed at pre-school girls and boys was created by Josh Selig and produced by his company, Little Airplane Productions.

3rd and Bird! is animated in an original style created by Little Airplane called photo-puppetry animation. The stories of 3rd and Bird! focus on a community of birds that fly and whistle in their feathery wonderland.

BBC Worldwide holds global distribution rights for 3rd and Bird! including programme distribution, DVD and merchandising.

GTV sales of the programme will be followed by licensing campaigns in territories across the world. Fisher-Price holds a multi-year global master toy license for 3rd and Bird! and is set to launch their first product to market in the UK for Spring 2010.