Boat Rocker captures Radical Sheep

Canada’s Boat Rocker Media has acquired the Toronto-based animation outfit behind series such as Big Comfy Couch.

Radical Sheep will become the original kids and family content arm of Boat Rocker Studios, which also produces The Next Step and Lost & Found Music Studios.

Boat Rocker Studios also now houses Temple Street Productions, producer of BBC America’s Orphan Black, following a restructure towards the end of last year.

This followed Canadian insurance and investment firm Fairfax Financial Holdings taking a majority stake in Temple Street Productions in July 2015.

Michelle Melanson Cuperus, Radical Sheep’s VP of production and development and executive producer, will become president of Radical Sheep following the acquisition, financial details of which were not disclosed.

Cuperus will report directly to David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, co-executive chairmen, and John Young, CEO of Boat Rocker Media.

John Leitch, Radical Sheep’s owner and executive producer, will continue as a consultant “focused on strategic initiatives and supporting the growth of Radical Sheep,” the company said.

Radical Sheep, which will be headquartered at Boat Rocker’s Toronto offices, has also produced series such as Yup Yups, Stella and Sam and Can You Imagine That! since being founded in 1995.

The company is currently in pre-production and production on several shows, including The Bagel and Becky Show for Teletoon Canada, Fangbone for Family CHRGD and Disney XD in the US and Ollie! The Boy Who Became What He Ate for CBC.

The acquisition comes after Boat Rocker’s recent investment in another Toronto-based animation outfit, Industrial Brothers, as it looks to expand its kids and animation footprint.

Boat Rocker’s “significant” minority interest in Industrial Brothers will remain separate from Radical Sheep, the company said.

“This acquisition grows Boat Rocker’s incredible portfolio of high-quality content, not only strengthening our core IP creation business but also expanding our global distribution and partnership opportunities,” said Young.