Entertainment Rights lines up two new toons

UK distributor Entertainment Rights has taken delivery of two new animated specials, Second Star to the Left and Hamilton Mattress, and has gathered a host of pre-sales.

Second Star to the Left, the sequel to the award-winning First Snow of Winter, was produced by Silver Fox Films. It was directed by Graham Ralph and produced by Jackie Edwards.

With the toon due to air in the UK on BBC1 this winter, Entertainment Rights have already notched up pre-sales with NRK (Norway), SVT (Sweden), YLE2 (Finland), Alfadedis (Switzerland), SCV (Singapore), ZDF (Germany), Canal Plus (France), SRC (Canada) and Danmarks Radio.

The 30' special tells the story of three pets who have an adventurous Christmas Eve and is accompanied by a soundtrack which features EMI Classics latest signing Becky Taylor.

BBC Worldwide will also be releasing a Second Star to the Left book and a video with extra footage in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile, Hamilton Mattress is set to be broadcast on BBC1 this Christmas, and is the creation of John Webster. It is produced and directed by the Oscar and BAFTA-winning duo Chris Moll and Barry Purvess.

Following the trials and tribulations of a drum-banging aardvark called Sludger, Hamilton Mattress features a soundtrack created and produced by Peter Gabriel's World Orchestra and – at half an hour long – cost £1.4m to produce.