Granada takes Pocoyo north

Disney Channel has picked up preschool animation series Pocoyo (52×7′) for a 2007 airing on its channels across Scandinavia, under a deal cut with distributor Granada International.

The complete first series, produced by Zinkia Entertainment and Granada International in association with Granada Kids and Cosgrove Hall, will air on the pay kidcaster’s basic cable and satellite feeds in Scandinavia and the Baltics.

Zoe Scurfield, Disney’s director of programmes for Scandinavia, described the toon as “a charming series that sits very comfortably in our preschool portfolio,” confirming that the show will go out on Playhouse Disney.

The first series of Pocoyo has already been acquired in Scandinavia by YLE in Finland and broadcaster 365 in Iceland. Production is currently under way at Zinkia in Madrid on a further 52 x7′ episodes of the show, narrated by Stephen Fry.

Rochelle Bradley, senior international sales executive at Granada International, said the toon – written by Andy Yerkes (Bear In The Big Blue House) – has so far sold into more than 100 territories around the world.