Chuck The Eco Duck Takes To The Airwaves

First episode of a new animated series launches March 1st on Passion for the Planet TV

London, 26 February

On 1 March, a new kids' environmental hero flies onto our screens, previewing exclusively on Passion for the Planet TV. Chuck the Eco Duck is an animated TV series designed to teach as well as entertain children between the ages of 5 and 9 about environmental issues and citizenship.

Chuck the eco duck is a quacking crusader for the 21st Century. Determined to 'love the world,' Chuck wants to make it a greener and kinder place for his fellow farm friends and is determined to reduce his carbon web-print. Supported by Bert, Molly, Doodle and Denver, and a whole host of cheeky and loveable farmyard animals, Chuck finds out that environmental solutions that are good for his friends and his farm are also good for the planet. At the same time his colourful animated adventures make ecological and ethical concerns accessible and entertaining for children as well as their parents.

Chuck's adventures to save the planet take him all over the world.  In episode one, "Chuck and the Palm Trees," Chuck and Doodle get quacking and visit Brazil to learn about biofuels so they can help Mr Farmer run a more environmentally friendly farm.

In following episodes, Chuck explores other alternative sources of energy, organising his friends to help clean up the local river, meeting penguins whose natural habitat is shrinking fast, and helping a snow goose to take on the oil barons in an effort to cut oil extraction from tar sands.

The show's pilot has been tested and well-received in primary schools in England and New Zealand. The headmistress of St Mary's Hall Junior School in Brighton, England said: "Chuck the Eco Duck is a great addition to the classroom. He informed and entertained the children, without preaching at them or telling them what to think. Lots of issues were raised and you could build a whole theme or unit of work around this series of stories."

The Headmistress of Southern Cross Junior School, Auckland, New Zealand said of Chuck: "I found the whole storyline very informative and engaging - and there's tons of room for language work as well as both science and social science work in the classroom. A real winner!"

Robert Sidaway, Chuck's writer and producer describes his feathered creation: "Chuck is an amiable but determined young duck. He is concerned about his immediate environment as well as the planet as a whole, and the effect that pollution, global warming and unhealthy lifestyles have on his fellow creatures."

Robert Sidaway, the producer behind films such as Rainbow (1995), directed by Bob Hoskins and Nouvelle France (2004) starring Gerard Depardieu and Irene Jacob, continues, "Chuck is the perfect platform for explaining complex scientific concepts behind ecological issues to children. Our aim with these programmes is to break the topic down into manageable parts and explain different aspects of the problems we face in each stand-alone episode. We're delighted that Passion for the Planet will be giving Chuck a forum to work his magic."

Chantal Cooke, Passion for the Planet's Managing Director and a London leader in Sustainability for 2009 says, "We loved Chuck and all his friends as soon as we saw him. The idea of using a fun story with engaging characters and colourful animation to help children learn more about environmental and conservation issues has to be a success."

-ends-

Notes for Editors:

Chuck the Eco Duck
First broadcast: 1st March at 3.30 pm GMT
Written by Helena Bishop and Robert Sidaway
Illustrated by Helena Bishop
Music composed by Madeline Rix and Oliver Payne
Produced by Robert Sidaway & Ashley Sidaway for Ultra Green Films in association with Prime Focus London

Passion for the Planet TV
On television via the SomethingTV virtual set-top box service in the UK
Online at www.passionfortheplanet.tv
Follow Chuck the Eco Duck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChuckTheEcoDuck


About Ultra Green Films

Ultra Green Films is a UK-based film and television production company, and a subsidiary of ethical venture company, the Ultra Green Group. The production team is headed by Robert and Ashley Sidaway who have been producing and co-producing feature films for international release since 1996. The company's first film was Rainbow, the world's first all-digital feature film, directed by and starring Bob Hoskins. Ultra Green Films has also produced more than a hundred hours of television programming for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 in the UK, as well as NBC and CBS in the United States.

Extracts from Ultra Green Films productions can be found here:

For more information on the Ultra Green Group, visit: www.ultragreengroup.com