Pingu for Number One!

By John Freeman on October 25, 2006

While I was working at Marvel UK, Paul Neary once foolishly confessed admiration for the animation Pingu. Once the laughter had died away he made me watch the show with a view to a potential pitch for a comic and for this reason, this wonderful animated show – perhaps the best-known Swiss export after clocks and chocolate – always strikes a chord when I read some news about it.

Now, Pingu is making a bid for Christmas Number One chart success with a new single, 7-11, from indie-disco group Eskimo Dance. It was produced by Hot Animation for children’s entertainment producers Hit Entertainment, who now own UK rights to Pingu – as well as owning Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends and Fireman Sam – and made 52 new episodes of the five-minute show in 2004, currently airing on kids channel CBeebies.

Digital Spy reports the promo has already become one of the most downloaded videos on YouTube racking up 27,000 views in less than a week.

So, without further ado, let me just say: Pingu Rocks!!

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.