Disney Channel has secured broadcasting rights for the UK animated preschool series, 3rd & Bird!, which will debut in the U.S. during the Playhouse Disney programming block in early 2011. The deal includes all 50 x 10 minute episodes of the series with one double episode, a 20-minute holiday special. Kate Livo, director, TV sales & co-productions for BBC Worldwide, brokered the deal.
Aimed at 3-5 year old children, the series features bold and colorful photo-puppetry, a style of animation created by production company Little Airplane. 3rd & Bird! follows the birds Muffin, Lovebird, and Samuel, and their friend Rudy, as they teach children diversity, tolerance, and perseverance.
3rd & Bird! has been sold to 17 territories, including Canada and Spain. Fisher-Price is currently the master toy licensee for the series and will develop electronic and non-electronic plastic figurines, toys, vehicles, playsets, and plush.