Novel Entertainment Wins CITV Commission For Third Series Of Horrid Henry

CITV has commissioned 52 new episodes of Novel Entertainment’s hugely successful, three times BAFTA nominated children’s property Horrid Henry. With the third series bringing the total number of programmes to 156, Horrid Henry becomes one of the biggest animated children’s shows ever in the UK. Production is underway on the 52 x 11 minute programmes and first TX is slated for Autumn 2011.
Fans of the grubby, cheeky, mischievous boy known as Horrid Henry will be delighted to welcome him back to their TV screens for a whole new set of capers and self-administered mayhem. In the third series, Henry, Lord High Majesty of the Purple Hand Gang, will wage new battles with his irritating little brother Perfect Peter and the infuriating girl next door, Moody Margaret, along with the grownups who seem determined to ruin his fun.
Jamila Metran, CITV Programme Manager, says: “Horrid Henry has been a huge success for us so we're excited to be working with Novel Entertainment to bring a new series to our viewers."

Mike Watts, co-producer for Novel Entertainment, adds: “We’re delighted that CITV has asked us to produce a third series of Horrid Henry, which has received such a fantastic response from young audiences. It’s always an exciting challenge for us, not to mention a labour of love, to think of new ways in which to engage Henry with his fans.”

In other news Target Entertainment, which holds distribution rights to the show outside the UK has recently sold Horrid Henry into new international territories. Mediacorp in Singapore and TET in the Ukraine have both taken seasons one and two (104x11’). Season one has sold to PBS in Malta, with both seasons being picked up by Emirates Airline.

The show is already airing on networks across the globe including Disney Channel in France, ZDF Germany, RTE Eire, RUV Iceland, NRK Norway, SVT Sweden, YLE Finland, MNet in South Africa, RTP Portugal, TVP1 in Poland, Iconix in Korea and Digiturk in Turkey.

Horrid Henry, created by author Francesca Simon, is the most successful children’s literary character in the UK after Harry Potter with book sales of more than 16 million. Novel’s animated TV show is the most successful series ever for CITV Channel and it has also been adapted for stage, radio, online and computer games as well as being at the heart of a successful licensing and merchandising programme. Novel Entertainment is presently in post-production of a live-action 3D movie of Horrid Henry with Vertigo Films, slated for a wide UK release in Summer 2011. The live-action adventure will be the first ever British kid’s movie to be filmed in 3D.

A Novel Entertainment Production, Horrid Henry is produced by Lucinda Whiteley and Mike Watts for CITV.