HMF Handmade

RNS Number:5846J
Handmade PLC
28 September 2006


For immediate release                                          28 September 2006



                                  HandMade plc

                         ("HandMade" or "the Company")



               "Eloise" animated TV series, book and music release



HandMade Plc (HMF.L), the rights ownership, film production, merchandising and
licensing company, is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement for
the new animated series of "Eloise" to be broadcast on Starz TV.  "Eloise" is
one of the best known children's characters in the US for which HandMade owns
exclusive worldwide exploitation rights.



HandMade will receive television broadcast fees and royalty income from DVD
sales.



Starz is a premium TV service with 16 movie channels including the flagship
Starz (R) and Encore(R) brands with approximately 15.1 million and 27.1 million
subscribers respectively. Starz is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media
Holding Corp (NASDAQ: LCAPA,LCAPB), the $11.75 billion market capitalisation
entertainment group.



Patrick Meehan, Chairman, HandMade Plc said:



"The animated series of "Eloise" is a landmark event for HandMade and means we
are delivering on our promises made when we joined the London stock market
earlier this year. Starz brings extraordinary exposure for Eloise across the US.
The release of the new book, broadcast of the animated series (with accompanying
DVDs) and the release of the music CDs will create the platform that is required
to successfully launch the company's merchandising programme into 2007 from
which a substantial proportion of the Company's profits will be derived."



Television series and DVDs:

The first thirteen episodes of the animated TV series entitled "Me Eloise" have
been completed.  The series was produced and financed by Film Roman at a cost of
$8 million. Film Roman also produced "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill". The
Eloise series is set for a worldwide television and DVD release.



The first episode will air in the US on 'Starz TV' at peak time on Sunday
evening on 8 October 2006 and the first two DVDs from the series will be
released in the US on 10 October 2006.  World-wide licensing is underway with a
number of territories already sold.  It is also intended that this will be
followed by further series.



One of the two DVDs is entitled "Little Miss Christmas" that is aimed at the
Christmas retail sales market and further Eloise titles are to be released in
the future.



To date DVD sales of HandMade's previous two Eloise films (made for "The
Wonderful World of Disney") have been in excess of 1 million units. Both films
have won Emmy Awards, with "Eloise at Christmastime" picking up the Directors'
Guild of America award for best family film, while Julie Andrews was nominated
for a separate Emmy for her performance.





Books:

On 6 November 2006 Simon and Schuster are publishing worldwide a new book
entitled "Eloise Goes to Hollywood". Based on pre-sales in the US, the book is
expected to reach No. 1 in the New York Times children's best seller list.



In 2003 the fifth book, "Eloise Takes a Bawth" was a No. 1 bestseller in the US.




In the 1950s, the first four Eloise books were published:  "Eloise", "Eloise At
Christmastime", "Eloise In Paris" and "Eloise In Moscow", and were all
bestsellers, establishing Eloise as an iconic children's character.



Whilst HandMade does not earn royalties on sales of these books, the release of
the new book significantly enhances the Eloise brand and continues to create
opportunities for HandMade to exploit the Eloise property.



Music:



The first music CD entitled "Eloise" was released in August with the second CD "
Eloise at Christmastime" scheduled for launch in November.  Both CDs, from which
HandMade receives royalties, are expected to benefit from the exploitation of
the new book and the animated series, particularly in the Christmas market.





For more information please contact:


HandMade plc                                                    020 7518 8230
David Ravden, CEO

Buchanan Communications                                         020 7466 5000
Tim Anderson, Mary-Jane Johnson





About HandMade plc



The HandMade Group acquires, owns and exploits intellectual property rights,
comprising film, TV and theatrical productions, book and music rights, and
merchandising. The HandMade Group has two main trading divisions:



1- HandMade Films which includes production, licensing and exploitation of
HandMade assets; and

2- Eloise Productions which owns rights to the "Eloise" character, one of the
best known children's characters in the United States.



HandMade plc was re-admitted to trading on AIM in June 2006.






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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