TV-Loonland and Absolutely ally for new ITV toon

German animation company TV-Loonland and the UK comedy independent Absolutely Productions, the company behind Stressed Eric, are to co-produce a new pre-school series commissioned by ITV.

Meg & Mog (52×5') is based on the best-selling children's book series of the same title, and will go into production this November. TV-Loonland's London toon studio Telemagination, producer of The Last Polar Bears and Pongwiffy, will animate the show. Delivery of the first 26 episodes is expected to start in late 2002, with the second 26 due in early 2003.

The show follows the adventures of a somewhat unsuccessful witch, her accident-prone cat and a wise old owl. It is exec produced by TV-Loonland's director of programmes John Bullivant and Absolutely's md Miles Bullough.

Published by Penguin, the series of 13 Meg & Mog books have topped three million copies sold in English-speaking territories since the first book was printed. Another Meg & Mog book is planned for publication next year.

The TV series will be directed by Roger Mainwood (The Tales of Beatrix Potter, Stressed Eric). The books are written by ex-BBC children’s television producer Helen Nicoll and illustrated by Jan Pienkowski. Carl Gorham (Stressed Eric, Agony Again) is creative producer.

TV-Loonland holds the worldwide distribution rights to the show, except for UK TV and video rights. Salsa Distribution, another TV-Loonland subsidiary, will distribute the series throughout the Latin American region.

With Meg & Meg, plus another three toons in production at Telemagination, the London-based company has expanded its digital ink and paint studio with three new creative appointments.

The other shows in production at the company are Pongwiffy (26×11') for ITV; Little Ghosts (39×7'), a co-production between parent company TV-Loonland and Telemagination for ITV and ZDF; and Redwall, Series II (13×26'), a co-production between TV-Loonland and Nelvana for Canada's Teletoon.