MUMBAI: The Global BBC iPlayer, BBC Worldwide‘s commercial pilot VOD service, has signed deals with Aardman Animations and DHX Media which will see it add to its slate of programmes for preschoolers and older kids.

The new programme acquisitions will join the recently launched CBeebies and Family categories, which encourage family viewing by bringing users the best British entertainment across a range of genres.

From Aardman Animations come ‘Wallace & Gromit‘ in four half-hour films – ‘A Grand Day Out‘, ‘The Wrong Trousers‘ , ‘A Close Shave‘ and ‘A Matter Of Loaf And Death‘. The pair also appear in Cracking Contraptions, a series of 10 short films featuring some of their more outrageous inventions, like the ‘Soccamatic‘, which is supposed to help Gromit‘s goalkeeping skills, and the ‘Snoozatron‘, designed to help Wallace fall asleep.

Additional titles from Aardman Animations include the first series of ‘Creature Comforts‘, animated series ‘The Morph Files‘ and ‘Timmy Time‘.

‘The Wallace and Gromit‘ titles, Creature Comforts and The Morph Files will sit in the Family section of the Global BBC iPlayer targeting older kids, while Timmy Time will entertain preschoolers in the CBeebies category. All the titles from Aardman Animations will be available from December.

From DHX Media come more staples of the CBeebies channels around the world: ‘Rastamouse‘, the mystery-solving and music-loving character, breezes onto the Global BBC iPlayer with his Easy Crew, while dirtgirlworld introduces the app‘s youngest users to nature and all the fun it holds. Also joining the line-up is ‘Grandpa In My Pocket‘, which explores the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. All three titles are available now in the CBeebies category.

The new Family and CBeebies genre categories were first unveiled at the Children‘s Media Conference in July by Global BBC iPlayer head of programming, scheduling Derren Lawford. CBeebies gives parents a one-stop shop destination for all programmes for preschoolers, while Family gives older children a range of shows including CBBC favourites like Newsround and Deadly 60.

Lawford said, "I‘m glad that we can keep adding the best examples of high-quality kids‘ programmes for children around the world. The CBeebies and Family categories of the Global BBC iPlayer have been a fantastic addition to the service, making it easier for parents to find shows that will appeal to their little ones, and for older children to have their own bank of entertaining programmes."