Universal Music has developed a new animated series for pre-schoolers, the delightful Uki (www.ukiland.com). The brainchild of Patrick Busschots and Peter Decraene from Universal Music’s Belgium company, the show has been snapped up by UK broadcaster CBeebies and will air daily from early September as a key part of the hugely popular ‘Show Me Show Me’ programme. Licensing is being handled by Universal Music UK’s Neil Jennings. Uki is an irresistibly cute yellow character who is never without a smile and, with his endless curiosity and innate sense of fun, is a true reflection of his young audience. Each of the 52 x 5 minute episodes describes a day in Uki’s life and, from the moment he wakes until it’s time to sleep, Uki takes his young viewers along on his adventures using not words but sounds, laughter and smiles to encourage them to join in his fun. For Uki, a new day is a new adventure. Winner of the ‘Pitch it’ award at the 2008 Kidscreen Summit, Uki has a modular structure that will quickly become familiar to children and their parents. Like any toddlers’ day, it starts with Uki waking up and ready to play, playtime is followed by the chance of a guessing game with Uki then it’s story time. Finally, there’s a last chance for some fun before Uki starts to wind down and eventually goes to sleep watched over by gentle Moon.

Devoted friends including Rabbit, Flowers, Hedgehog, Duck and Turtle, as well as Guardians Sun, Cloud and Moon make sure that Uki’s world is safe and fully contained, nature is his playground and he is free to explore beautiful locations including Sunflower Hill, The Hollow Tree and The Flower Field.

The show is already airing in Belgium on children’s channels Ketnet and Club RTL, and books, DVD’s, greeting cards and plush toys will go to retail there in October. In addition the show has been sold into Australia, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Poland, Israel, South Africa, Taiwan, the Middle East and S. E. Asia. Uki will be available to screen as part of MIPJunior in October with BBC Worldwide concluding further deals in the meantime.

Explains Lesley Douglas, Universal Music UK’s Managing Director, Commercial Media Partnerships and Globe TV, ‘This is a really exciting development for us. Universal Music is all about creativity, and Uki is a brilliant creation with a great character at its heart; it is impossible to watch it without smiling’.

Adds Neil Jennings, Director of Business Development at UMUK, ‘From a UK licensing perspective we think Uki is a key prospect for retail in 2011. The show is a breath of fresh air in the often noisy and chaotic world of children’s television and we have a great broadcast partner in CBeebies. Parents will embrace Uki and his friends and the gentle safe adventures they share with toddlers and we are putting together a tight, well managed licensing programme to reflect the demand for product we anticipate’.

Jackie Edwards from broadcaster CBeebies reflects this enthusiasm, ‘Show Me, Show Me’ is a hugely popular part of the CBeebies schedule and Uki fits in there perfectly. Gentle safe exploration and learning make the show ideal for even our youngest audiences’.

Salim Mukaddam, Head of Audio & Music Programming at BBC Worldwide adds, ‘We’re delighted to be working with Universal Music to take Uki to the international market. The initial reception has been phenomenal and we’re expecting big things from the little man. The quality of the animation and the absence of dialogue make the shows immediately accessible for viewers of channels in any territory.’