Key broadcasters pre-buy new show

Aardman Rights is heading to MIPTV with a number of pre-sales in place for its brand new family series Wallace & Gromit present A World of Invention. The 6 x 30’ inventions-inspired show, fronted and presented by the much-loved Oscar©-winning family favourites, Wallace and Gromit, has now been acquired by DR Denmark, YLE Finland, Thai PBS and ABC Australia. Aardman Rights is presenting the series, commissioned by BBC One with broadcast scheduled for late 2010, to international buyers at MIPTV 2010 where it will be looking to secure further broadcast deals.

Aardman’s Head of Sales Alix Wiseman says: “As award-winning, household names, best known for their animated antics, it is exciting to be taking Wallace and Gromit into a new genre. With the BBC and ABC already on board we are delighted to sign these new broadcast deals as we head to MIPTV. We are confident that Wallace & Gromit present A World of Invention has great international potential and will appeal to family audiences worldwide.”

The global appeal of Wallace & Gromit is reinforced in A World of Invention by the numerous worldwide locations that are drawn on throughout the series, unearthing some of the most innovative inventions and inventors of our time. Filming is scheduled to take place in Germany, Brazil, The Netherlands, China, Tasmania, Nigeria and various locations across the USA, while Japan will be strongly featured through the use of incredible archive footage.

Wallace & Gromit present A World of Invention takes a light-hearted and humorous look at real-life contraptions, gadgets and inventions. The series aims to inspire a whole new generation of innovative minds by showing them real, but mind-boggling, machines and inventions from around the world that have influenced Wallace’s ‘illustrious’ inventing career.

The show is broadcast from Wallace’s basement where Wallace has created what he considers to be a ‘state of the art’ TV studio. Each episode will have a theme such as flying, water, communication or space and will feature live action segments showing real life inventors and inventions, with animated links by Wallace and Gromit.

Wallace and Gromit present A World of Invention will be accompanied by a website and online campaign which will further engage and encourage fans to discover their inner inventor.