Monday, February 28, 2005

Bear is Back in "Breakfast with Bear"

Brace yourself Bear fans, because Bear, from "Bear in the Big Blue House", is making his TV come back in a brand-new, daily, hour-long television show for kids. "Breakfast with Bear", a new song-filled hour for preschoolers, will bring Bear out of his Woodland Valley surroundings for the first time ever. The show will illustrate the benefits of healthy living as Bear pays visits to real homes in cities throughout the country. Each weekday morning, Bear will be seen greeting a preschooler (and his or her family), and interacting with them as they go about their daily routines; including brushing teeth, making wardrobe choices and getting dressed, tying shoes, stretching, getting their body moving, and eating a healthy breakfast.

The announcement for the show was made today by Gary Marsh, the Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Production for the Disney Cable Networks Group. "Breakfast with Bear" is the first new entertainment initiative launched by the Muppet Holding Company. And of course fans can expect the new show will be supported with additional initiatives, including Internet content, live theatre shows, and a new merchandise rollout.

The Breakfast with Bear hour, features the highlights from Bear's visits to a new home along with fun songs, activities, lessons, and fun. The show will premiere in June, 2005 during the new learning-based programming block for preschoolers on the Disney Channel. Production of the show begins next month (March 2005) in cities around the United Stated (to be announced soon).

Preschoolers and parents have come to depend on Bear to help decipher the world around them and he's a trusted source for reinforcing the message about good nutrition, healthy habits and age appropriate activity, but from Bear, it's not presented as a lesson, rather a wonderful learning experience where warmth and affection stands out. This new show will not feature as large of a puppet cast as the original show, but will still keep the charm and fun of the original. Stay tuned for more details.

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