With The Sharpe Company having picked up the worldwide merchandising rights to Roland Rat in August (click here for story), it is now appointing key agents - with Bulldog Licensing grabbing the brand for the UK.

The company is already targeting a variety of categories including plush, gifts and apparel.

Roland Rat made his TV debut on TV-am in 1983 and has made more than 400 TV programmes over 25 years for the BBC, Channel 4, Five and ITV.

"Roland is a bona fide superstar and a licensing dream," said Bulldog MD, Rob Corney. "We are already developing a programme across a whole range of sectors with incredible levels of interest from licensees in all sectors."