Cookie Jar and FME line up new children's series

Cookie Jar Entertainment and FremantleMedia Enterprises have teamed up to roll out new pre-school series, Ella the Elephant.

The series will be based on the Ella the Elephant books by Carmela D'Amico and Steve D'Amico and will consist of 26 half-hour episodes.

It will make its US debut in 2013 on Disney Junior. In addition, Cookie Jar has granted US home entertainment rights to Warner Home Video, which has the rights to release Ella the Elephant in all home entertainment formats after Disney Junior's initial broadcast.

Cookie Jar maintains the TV, brand licensing, home entertainment (excluding US) and other ancillary rights in the US, Canada, Middle East and India.

FME will serve as the distributor for TV, brand licensing, home entertainment and other ancillary rights throughout the rest of the world.

"Ella is a magical property about an ever ebullient, optimistic, responsible, compassionate little elephant whose kindred spirit will delight our pre-school audience," said Toper Taylor, president and COO of Cookie Jar. "We are thrilled to be working with both Disney and FME on the series' global launch."