MUMBAI: US media firm National Geographic Kids Entertainment (NGKE) and King Rollo Films have partnered with the BBC’s kids channel CBeebies to co-produce the live-action/animated preschool series Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies.

CBeebies will also contribute archival footage to complement the resources provided by National Geographic. The agreement was announced by National Geographic Kids Entertainment president Donna Friedman Meir.

The co-production deal gives CBeebies rights to broadcast the program in the UK and Eire and to license consumer products and home video in these territories. NGKE’s sister company, National Geographic Television International (NGTI), retains programme sales and equivalent licensing/home video rights for all remaining worldwide territories. CBeebies will begin airing Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies next year.

NGKE, NGTI and CBeebies plan to develop Mama Mirabelle into a multimedia franchise encompassing television, DVD/video, VOD, mobile phone and interactive online content.

Meir says, "We are thrilled to be partnering with CBeebies, given their extraordinary legacy as a producer of outstanding children’s programming. Their support for ‘Mama Mirabelle’ is a fantastic seal of approval for our first preschool series. There is a natural fit between the BBC and National Geographic brands, and we look forward to developing our relationship so that we can continue to bring such lovable characters and high-quality programming to U.K. and global audiences.”

Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies features an inquisitive cast of baby animal characters, including regulars Bo the cheetah cub; Karla the zebra foal; Max the elephant calf; monkeys Pip, Flip and Chip; and their maternal elephant host, Mama Mirabelle. Each day the animals gather in the savannah to watch home videos of themselves and other amazing creatures of the natural world. Through lighthearted and heartwarming interaction, Mama helps the baby animals find answers to many of life’s questions from a preschooler’s perspective.