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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Worldwide Channels has today announced the commission of an exciting new live-action children's series Penelope K, By The Way, its first ever original production for the international CBeebies channel.

Set to debut on CBeebies in Australia next year, followed by CBeebies in the UK and around the world, the highly original series was developed by Sydney-based Blink Films and pitched to CBeebies by award-winning producer Michael Bourchier, following the launch of the international channel’s inaugural local production initiative in Australia earlier this year.

Selected from over 100 submissions, the 25 x 12 minutes series was given the green light by Brendan Dahill, Director of Television, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Worldwide Channels Australasia, and Michael Carrington, Controller, CBeebies UK.

"Penelope K, by the way is an incredibly creative concept with extraordinary depth and vision. Michael's understanding of the inquisitive minds of our pre-school aged audience shone through both on the page and in the face-to-face pitch session," said Michael Carrington.

"I'm so pleased that CBeebies' first local production is now officially underway, and look forward to working with the prodigiously talented producer Michael Bourchier. I love his ideas and how he aims to execute them, and eagerly anticipate introducing Australian and international audiences to Penelope K," continued Brendan Dahill.

In March 2009, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Worldwide Channels Australasia invited Australian producers to submit ideas for an upbeat, humorous series rooted in the real world, suitable for four to six year-old girls and boys. A shortlist of six finalists were selected from over 100 entries and invited to a formal pitch session in Sydney in July.

About the show

Penelope K runs the "Information Station", the place you go to when you want to know about anything at all. Like rainbows. Or pharaohs. Or kangaroo pouches.

While Penelope K has all the enthusiasm in the world, the answer to the question invariably slips away from her like a dream when she tries to recall it. She must rely on her more-or-less reliable friends, including a shadow rabbit, a troupe of floating instruments, two know-it-all fish, and Squirm, a List Worm, who helps her collate information.

"The basic theme of the show is "Being wrong is just the first step to being right". Penelope K gives our audience the tools to love the process of learning and find answers through asking questions, even if the pathways to the answer may seem ridiculous," said Michael Bourchier.

"It is an honour to be working with Michael and Brendan on Penelope K, by the way for CBeebies' inaugural production for the channel in Australia. It is great to be working with a broadcaster with the courage to tread new ground. The idea I pitched to them was pretty left-field but they saw that as a positive rather than as a problem, thankfully!"

Michael Bourchier's children's production credits include Out There, which won an AFI in 2003 and a Logie in 2005, and The Upside Down Show, featuring the comedy duo The Umbilical Brothers, which won the Logie for Most Outstanding Children's Programme in 2007 and a Daytime Emmy for best title design. He was also named independent Producer of the Year by the Screen Producers Association of Australia in 2007.

The series will be produced by Blink Films in association with production partner Freehand.

Linda Deubel/Dominic Schreiber