Nickelodeon Greenlights Second Season of Hit Animated Preschool Series Peter Rabbit

NEW YORK, Oct. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelodeon and independent media company Silvergate Media today announced the greenlight of a second season (26 episodes, two half-hour specials) of the hit animated preschool series Peter Rabbit.  Launched on Nick in December 2012, Peter Rabbit is based on the characters created by Beatrix Potter in her classic children's series The Tales of Peter Rabbit.  Peter Rabbit is produced in conjunction with Silvergate Media and animated by Brown Bag Films.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131011/NY96230 )

A brand-new episode of Peter Rabbit, "The Tale of the Giant Pumpkin/The Tale of the Fierce Bad Rabbit," will premiere Friday, Oct. 25, at 1:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Peter Rabbit reached 6.3 million preschoolers in third quarter 2013.                   

"Peter Rabbit has captured the hearts of preschoolers and parents because of the series' rich stories, loveable characters and stunning animation," said Teri Weiss, EVP, Production and Development, Nickelodeon Preschool.  "We are excited about continuing our partnership with Silvergate Media on creating this dynamic series that champions determination, discovery and being a good friend."

Mary Durkan, CEO of Silvergate Media, said: "We are very pleased to be working with Nickelodeon to develop season two of the new Peter Rabbit. Nickelodeon is a fantastic partner and we look forward to continuing the journey of Peter Rabbit with them."

The second season will continue to follow the adventures of mischievous Peter Rabbit and his best friends Benjamin Bunny and Lily Bobtail, as well as many of the much-loved and iconic Beatrix Potter characters, including Squirrel Nutkin, Jeremy Fisher and Mr. Tod.  Season two will see the addition of Mittens the cat, Pig Robinson, and Mr. Tolly the tortoise, along with an expanded animated world for Peter and his friends to explore.

In "The Tale of the Giant Pumpkin," Peter sets his sights on the biggest pumpkin in Mr. McGregor's patch, rolling it out of the garden turns into the ride of a lifetime.  In "The Tale of the Fierce Bad Rabbit," Peter and his friends set out to taste the sweetest dandelions in the world, only to find they're protected by the meanest character in the entire valley!

On NickJr.com, Nickelodeon's award-winning website, parents and preschoolers can watch full-length episodes of Peter Rabbit, print Peter Rabbit activities and play free games including the all-new Nutkin's Nut Catch! game. Coming soon to the site is a Photo Booth application, where kids can customize and decorate photos with Peter Rabbit characters, borders, seasonal stickers, and more.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, was the first in the series to be published by Frederick Warne (1902) and it went on to become one of the best-selling children's classics of all time. The Tale of Peter Rabbit has never been out of print and is translated into over 35 languages throughout the world. Beatrix Potter's Classic Tales have delighted children for more than 100 years. Today a wide range of books are published by Frederick Warne under the Beatrix Potter brand, including gift books, storybooks, novelty books and the original classics. Lifetime global sales of the Beatrix Potter books exceed 250 million and over two million books are sold every year worldwide - which is four books every minute.

About Silvergate Media
Silvergate Media is a highly creative TV Production and licensing company driven by big ideas and big collaborations. Formed in 2011, and with offices in New York and London, Silvergate develops world-class brands which inspire, entertain, educate and engage through innovative content, great products and strong partnerships. Among these brands are Peter Rabbit and Octonauts, two highly successful international properties for children.

Lifetime global sales of the Beatrix Potter books exceed 250 million and over 2 million Beatrix Potter books are sold every year worldwide - which is four books every minute.  www.peterrabbit.com.

About Brown Bag Films
Brown Bag Films® is an award-winning animation studio, producing high quality animation for the international market.  Established in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell, Brown Bag Films remains a creative-led company. Their numerous awards include Oscar nominations for Give Up Yer Aul Sins (2002) and Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty (2010), and Bafta and Emmy nominations for The Octonauts (2012). Employing more than 120 full time staff in their Dublin-based headquarters, with a second office in LA, Brown Bag Films are committed to producing the highest-quality, cross-platform animation with strong stories and engaging characters. Recent productions include Chorion's Olivia for Nickelodeon U.S., Enid Blyton's Noddy in Toyland for Chorion/FIVE UK, The Octonauts for Silvergate Media/BBC and Disney Junior's Doc McStuffins.  Current productions include Henry Hugglemonster for Disney Junior, Peter Rabbit for Silvergate Media/Nickelodeon/CBeebies, and second seasons of The Octonauts and Doc McStuffins.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com.  Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).  

SOURCE Nickelodeon