Ozzie animal drama unites Sesame, BBC and ABC

Sesame Street producer Sesame Workshop has teamed up with the BBC and Australia's ABC to co-produce a new 13×30' primetime drama series aimed at kids 8-12.

The as yet unnamed show is set in Australia and centres on an animal hospital on the outskirts of Sydney. It follows three kids (one British, one American and one Australian) as they involve themselves with various animal-related stories.

{It also deals with harder topics such as growing up and reaching adolescence,{ said Sesame Workshop's group vp of Europe, Julian Scott. {It's not just about fluffy animals – the kids also deal with their inner demons.{

The script is written by US scribe Willy Reale (Deadline). Shooting is due to begin in {either autumn 2001 or spring 2002,{ said Scott.

As well as the BBC and ABC, the show is due to air in the US on Noggin, the US digital channel jointly owned by Sesame Workshop and Nickelodeon.

The Workshop is also co-producing an adaptation of Amy Tan's Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat. The 40×30' series is being made in Canada with CinéGroupe and IF/X Productions. The show will air on PBS this autumn, and will be distributed by Sesame Workshop and CinéGroupe.

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