BBC Studios launches 40th anniversary Only Fools and Horses stamps with Royal Mail… and they’re lovely jubbly

BBC Studios is marking the 40th anniversary year of the iconic TV comedy series Only Fools and Horses with the launch of a special stamp collection in partnership with Royal Mail.

The collection will see the launch of eight stamps featuring classic Only Fools and Horses scenes and one-liners, while a further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, will depict the main Trotter family characters as individual stamps, including Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, and Uncle Albert.

The stamps and a range of collectables are available for pre-order via the Royal Mail website, by phone, and across 7,000 Post Offices in the UK. The full set of 12 stamps – available in a Presentation Pack – will retail at £16.20. The stamps will go on general sale this month.

Only Fools and Horses follows the exploits of wheeler-dealer Del Trotter, his hapless younger brothers, Rodney, Grandad, and later their Uncle Albert. The series now has a regular slot on Gold where it remains a firm favourite with viewers as consistently one of the most-watched shows on the UKTV-owned channel.

In 2003, one of the show’s many catchphrases, ‘lovely jubbly’ was listed in the Oxford English Dictionary.

Further partnerships will see the launch of the first official Only Fools and Horses online store hosted by licensee Push Entertainment, for bespoke print on demand gifting, homewares, apparel and stationary inspired by the series. Available soon at www.onlyfoolsandhorses.shop 

BBC Studios has also renewed its Only Fools and Horses plush licence with 8th Wonder which has  had great retail support across gifting trade.

Jason Easy, head of licencing at BBC Studios, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Royal Mail in celebration of the Only Fools and Horses 40th Anniversary to launch this wonderful stamp collection in celebration of the milestone.

“We are also hugely excited to be working with Push Entertainment to deliver the first ever official Only Fools and Horses online store, and to renew our Only Fools plush licence with 8th Wonder. All adding to the Only Fools portfolio for fans and collectors to enjoy.”

Mattel’s Whac-A-Mole strikes TV game show deal with Fremantle

Whac-A-Mole has become the latest Mattel toy property to receive the TV treatment as the television production outfit, Fremantle, prepares to develop a new game show based on the title.

The move comes amid a slate of TV licensing announcements from Mattel, including the most recent partnership with Propagate to develop a game show based on the family card game UNO.

According to reports, the Whac-A-Mole game show will turn the popular Mattel title – and regular fixture of the arcades and amusement park scene – into an elimination competition during which opposing teams will use their skill, strength, and endurance to become the ultimate Whac-A-Mole champion.

The unscripted series will incorporate life-sized Whac-A-Mole, races and obstacle courses.

Whac-A-Mole popped into life in 1976 as an arcade game before being turned into a tabletop game in 2009. This year, Mattel will be re-releasing the tabletop game and launching a new card game Whac-A-Mole Match-A-Mole.

“Whac-A-Mole is a beloved, action-packed arcade game with a deep fan following, and the interactive nature and comedic energy of the game makes it a great franchise for episodic television,” said Adam Bonnett, executive producer, Mattel Television.

“Jayson and the team at Fremantle have had unparalleled success creating iconic reality television series and are the perfect partners to help us bring this classic game to life in new ways.”

Jayson Dinsmore, president of alternative programming and development, Fremantle, added: “We’re so excited to have the iconic Whac-A-Mole brand as our newest playground.

“Partnering with Mattel to bring this classic game to television in a dynamic and synergistic life-sized world is a dream come true.”

WildBrain partners with Samsung to launch new kids’ and teen channels featuring its hit series

WildBrain has forged a partnership with Samsung to launch multiple new kids’ and teen channels featuring a range of series from its content library on Samsung TV Plus, a free ad-supported video service distributed exclusively on Samsung smart TVs.

The first new linear channels have now launched to millions of Samsung users, with “Caillou and Friends” in Spain and France and “Teletubbies and Friends” in Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

This initial launch will be followed in spring and summer 2021 by Degrassi channels for teens in the US and Canada, plus additional kids’ channels across European territories featuring Strawberry Shortcake, Bob the Builder and other favourite series from WildBrain’s library.

The partnership with Samsung represents the first time WildBrain has launched ad-supported linear channels on a connected-TV service in Europe and comes as new research shows smart TVs and ad-supported video streaming have become favourite viewing options in both US and European homes.

The recent nScreenMedia report “Making Screen Time Family Time”, which wasponsored by WildBrain Spark, found that 62 per cent of 3,000 US parents surveyed choose smart TVs as the most popular devices for co-viewing with children in the home.

75 per cent watch content with their children several times a week or more, and 90 per cent said ad-supported video is an important entertainment source for their children.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s “Behind the Screens” report on accelerating viewership trends found that ad-supported video-on-demand consumption grew by 29 per cent since January 2020 across over 30 million Samsung smart TVs in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Samsung is the clear leader in global smart TV sales, with over 14 million units sold in Q3 2020, almost double their nearest competitor, according to market research firm Trendforce.

“All indicators show that connected TVs are the new choice for home viewing and that families are increasingly turning to ad-supported video services on this platform as a source of quality entertainment,” said Deirdre Brennan, EVP, content partnerships at WildBrain.

“Through this exciting partnership with Samsung TV Plus we will offer distinct channels that draw on WildBrain’s deep content library, allowing us to share iconic shows like Teletubbies, Caillou, Strawberry Shortcake and Degrassi with millions of families across North America and Europe.”

Banijay launches new consumer products programme for Ready Steady Cook

Banijay has launched a new consumer products programme for its iconic cooking brand, Ready Steady Cook, marking the return of the show and its licensing efforts with a modern style guide and suite of creative assets.

With its new look in tow, the Ready Steady Cook brand is looking to develop products across a range of categories, including food storage, kitchen appliances, cookware, textiles, foodstuffs, and digital products for the much loved heritage IP.

Jane Smith, group director, brand licensing of Banijay Brands, said: “Worldwide consumers and audiences love Ready Steady Cook and we’ve seen a real rise in fans from younger demographics. This classic heritage brand is both nostalgic and fresh in bringing together people, generating culinary ideas, and providing great entertainment, creating an exciting opportunity for new licensees and partners. The quality and popularity of the Ready Steady Cook brand means the products are sure to fly off the shelves.”

The popularity of home cooking reached new heights during the world’s period of lockdown, and with the pandemic threatening further restriction measures to be taken once again, Banijay has spotted that the relationship between consumers and their food ‘has never been more important.’

‘It’s for this reason,’ states the firm, ‘that now is the perfect time for Ready Steady Cook to be a brand partner for licensees in the culinary space.’

Banijay continues: ‘The Ready Steady Cook brand values mirror that of kitchens around the world, with a particular focus on value for money, sustainability, managing food waste and provenance; all of which will resonate with economically-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers looking for exciting culinary products to add to their homes.’

Ready Steady Cook is an internationally recognised brand, having seen the show adapted in over 20 territories. Consumer brand awareness has also been amplified this year in the UK following the successful TV relaunch on BBC ONe from Remarkable TV.

Popular presenter Rylan Clark-Neal was at the helm as he introduced the TV classic and gave new meaning to the phrases, “green peppers” and “red tomatoes”. The show performed well for younger viewers and was above the broadcaster’s slot average by +10 per cent for Adults aged 16 to 34.

The show has once again taught a new generation about contemporary food themes; from how to cook on a budget, to eating healthily, and feeding a whole family, whilst reflecting the changes in food and British cooking over the past decade.

Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

The Banijay Brands portfolio includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less?, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t!, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.