In a deal that will see the cbc sharing another Canadian first broadcast window, this time with tvontario, Catalyst Entertainment will begin production Oct. 16 in Toronto on 40 half-hour episodes of the $10 million children’s series Noddy.

Catalyst director of development Lynn Suderman says the cbc will kick in about 5% of the $240,000 per episode budget for the series that will combine existing bbc animated shorts with live action and puppetry.

tvo has an equity stake in the deal and will be responsible for about 10% of the budget agreement that will see it simulcast the fall 1998 broadcast window of the 30-minute program with the cbc.

But it will be pbs which will give the brunt of Canadian kids their first look at the beloved u.k. character adapted from Enid Blyton’s best-selling children’s books, by broadcasting Noddy beginning in June 1998.

Noddy is a Catalyst production in association with BBC Worldwide Americas and the Enid Blyton Company. It is produced in association with tvo and with the participation of the cbc.

Remarkably, Catalyst has managed to finance the show without the help of the ctcpf or any other government funds.

‘Noddy marks an important new stage in international television coproduction,’ says Catalyst ceo Charles Falzon. ‘This show brings together broadcasters who share a commitment to children’s programming that is great entertainment and is also educational.’

Rick Siggelkow, vp of the children’s division of BBC Worldwide, will serve as executive producer of Noddy, while Catalyst’s Jim Corston is the series’ producer.

BBC Worldwide holds the distribution rights outside North America, Catalyst owns North American rights. Licensing and merchandising will be handled in Canada and the u.s. by The itsy bitsy Entertainment Company.