DHX MEDIA’S GRANDPA IN MY POCKET SET FOR THE IPAD

Toronto, ON – 21 December 2010 – DHX Media is set to launch an iPad app based on the hit CBeebies-commissioned family series, Grandpa in My Pocket. The Grandpa in my Pocket: Horatio Heave Ho! eBook will retail at £1.79 and will be available in the UK iTunes store at launch, with other territories to follow.  In addition, the app will be available for the iPhone and iPod Touch in Spring 2011.

Horatio Heave Ho! is the Sunnysands Bank Manager who really wants to be a pirate.  When he decides to dig up the whole beach in search of treasure, Grandpa puts on his magic shrinking cap and shrinks.  Disguised as Captain Teenytoes, the smallest pirate ever to sail the seven seas, Grandpa sets out to persuade Horatio that there’s more to life than treasure.  But, he can’t do it without Jason. It’s teamwork!

The Grandpa in my Pocket: Horatio Heave Ho! eBook is narrated by the character of Jason Mason, and features the voice of other Sunnysands characters, it has assorted features including: tapping the little Grandpa on each page to make him run – catch him if you can and make him sparkle! Tap on Horatio and join in with his pirate roaring, and join in with the words and actions of the pirate song.  All of this is accompanied by wonderful images from the series and a full music soundtrack.

Anne Loi, SVP Finance and Operations at DHX Media, said: “The iPad is a natural platform for extending a popular kids brand, especially one with such a strong narrative and characterization such as Grandpa. The Horatio Heave Ho! eBook helps kids with their reading, and  incorporates fun, interactive activities for fans of the show – and their parents can join in too. It’s the ideal, portable accompaniment to the television series.”

Grandpa in My Pocket, which features live action with special effects, has sold to broadcasters worldwide. Channels airing the show include Canal+ in France, French-speaking TFO, TVO and Knowledge in Canada, Al Jazeera Children’s Channel, Norway’s NRK and Sub Juniori in Finland, HOP Israel, RUV Iceland, okto in Singapore, Greece’s MCOM.  CBeebies has also acquired Grandpa in My Pocket for the Latin American and US Hispanic markets as well as Poland, South Africa and Asia.

In Australia, the series airs on ABC TV and a home entertainment deal has also been agreed with ABC Home Video. Australia’s Stella Projects, headed by Grahame Grassby, is licensing agent for Australia and New Zealand. In the UK, Warner Home Video UK has been appointed as DVD partner and in Indonesia, Tarra Group is on board for home video.

Made with participation from Finance Wales, Grandpa In My Pocket is developed and produced by Adastra Creative and stars James Bolam as Grandpa and Jay Ruckley as Jason Mason. Take one energetic Grandpa and his imaginative seven-year old Grandson, Jason Mason. Give Grandpa a magic shrinking cap and watch him turn into the biggest kid of the lot!  He flies out the window in Jason’s toy airplane or shoots out the door in his little car, each time on his way to solve a problem and create mayhem along the way.   Grandpa can make himself small enough to hide in all sorts of unsuitable places. He’s full of ideas and full of mischief.

The show explores the hugely important grandparent/grandchild relationship and Jason and Grandpa make a great team. Their adventures are fantastical, touching and bizarre – but always hilariously funny.

For further information please contact:
Aimee Norman at Blueprint PR, Tel: +44 (0) 208 341 6171 E Mail: aimee@blueprintpr.co.uk
Anthony Jiwa, DHX Media, Tel: +1 604 684 2363 x215 or E Mail: anthony.jiwa@dhxmedia.com

About DHX Media Ltd.
DHX Media Ltd. is a leading international producer and distributor of television programming and interactive content with an emphasis on children, family and youth markets. DHX Media Ltd. shares are listed on the TSX, the Toronto Stock Exchange.  DHX Media has offices in Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver and has a growing library of over 2,300 half-hours of mostly children’s and youth-oriented properties from own and third party producers. Live action series include That’s So Weird and How to Be Indie, alongside animated series such as Animal Mechanicals, Franny’s Feet, Kid vs Kat, dirtgirlworld, and new preschool show, Rastamouse. www.dhxmedia.com