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[via press release]

Cartoon Network Catches a Little Sunshine with The Mr. Men Show

New Animated Sketch Comedy Series to Premiere Monday, Feb. 4, at 9 a.m. (ET, PT)

Whether you are Mr. Nervous, Little Miss Chatterbox or Mr. Lazy, we could all use a lot more of Little Miss Sunshine!  These are just a few of the wacky personalities from The Mr. Men Show, the first animated sketch comedy series for children.  The Mr. Men Show will air weekdays at 9 a.m. (ET, PT) beginning Monday, Feb. 4, only on Cartoon Network.

Based on the beloved Mr. Men and Little Miss books by British author Roger Hargreaves, each character has a distinct personality that comes to life in the quirky town of Dillydale.  In 1981, the books found even greater popularity when Hargreaves expanded Mr. Men to include the Little Miss characters.  After Hargreaves’ passing, his son Adam continued the Mr. Men legacy, writing stories and overseeing the creative process.  The Mr. Men and Little Miss series has sold in excess of 100 million books worldwide.

Featuring 26 half-hour programs comprised of two-11 minute episodes, The Mr. Men Show is filled with comedic elements ranging from long sketches to “Chaplin-style” interstitials to music videos and dance interludes, all in retro-style animation.  Each character has a distinct personality, readily generating some hilarity and exasperation among their fellow residents of Dillydale.  Perfectly timed to celebrate our age of self-expression, audiences will howl with delight as they discover the character with whom they identify most closely.  Airing on Cartoon Network weekday mornings beginning February 4, a new generation of children will discover these characters – some familiar and some new.  A re-imagining of the beloved books, the new series is bound to make every kid Mr. Happy.

The Mr. Men Show is jointly produced by Cartoon Network and Chorion Ltd and animated by Renegade Animation (Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi).  Kate Boutilier (The Wild Thornberrys) and Eyrk Casmerio (Rugrats Go Wild) serve as executive producers.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families.  Overnight from 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET, PT) Sunday-Thursday, Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Chorion is a leading provider of quality family entertainment for the global marketplace.  Chorion brings a combination of brand management savvy and creative vision to the development of classic literary copyrights across all media.  Chorion’s portfolio includes classic children’s brands such as Mr. Men and Little Miss, Noddy, OLIVIA and The World of Eric Carle as well as the literary works of Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and Georges Simenon, among others.

Chorion’s new productions include The Mr. Men Show, to air on Cartoon Network in the US and Five in the UK in 2008; Famous Five; On the Case, co-produced with Marathon Media; and OLIVIA, destined for Nick Jr. in the US, Chorion’s Noddy animated series airs on leading broadcasters around the world. Perennial favorite drama series Marple and Agatha Christie’s Poirot were co-produced with ITV in the UK and PBS in the US.

Chorion has offices in London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney.  Chorion operates as Chorion Silver Lining in the US. www.chorion.co.uk.