Novel Entertainment was established in 2001 when Lucinda Whiteley and Mike Watts combined their wealth of experience and expertise in managing successful media businesses and creating high quality programming for both terrestrial and satellite broadcasters.

With an early commission from BBC Television and BBC Worldwide, Novel Entertainment produced the iconic pre-school live-action series Fimbles.
To date Fimbo, Florrie, Baby Pom and their friends have provided 200 x 20' episodes of stimulating and enchanting children's television, which have been seen in over 74 territories throughout the world, including Japan, France, Australia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Italy and Korea. First broadcast on BBC1, 2 and CBeebies in September 2002, Fimbles has become a magical addition to the world of pre-school programmes.

The success of Fimbles led to a further BBC commission in 2004 starring the Fimbles' storytelling favourite mole, Roly Mo.

The Roly Mo Show (100 episodes x 15'), explores the magical world of books and storytelling and features an animated story and a theme related song in every episode. Novel also produced a number of short form specials entitled Storytime with Roly Mo (20 episodes x 3') and Christmastime with Roly Mo (10 episodes x 3').

In 2003, Novel Entertainment successfully optioned the rights to create an animated television series based on Francesca Simon's internationally renowned and popular Horrid Henry children's books, which have sold over 5.3 million copies in the UK. Now published in 18 languages, in March 2005 Horrid Henry led World Book Day with the publication of a specially commissioned book - Horrid Henry's Bedtime - which was the first book to knock Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code off the top of the best seller lists for four months! The new Horrid Henry animation series will shortly be seen on CiTV.

In 2004 Novel's creative team also undertook the creative development of the CGI animated series for pre-schoolers, Pocoyo, for CiTV.

In the same year Novel expanded their programming by producing the highly acclaimed Dr Miriam Stoppard's Having a Baby DVD for Columbia Tristar, presented by pregnancy and childcare expert Dr Miriam Stoppard. An essential guide to pregnancy and childbirth, the DVD reinforces Dr Stoppard's already encyclopaedic treatment of prospective parenthood with a dynamic, contemporary approach capturing the joy and anticipation of the journey to parenthood in a personalised, interactive package, which has received excellent reviews.

Novel Entertainment has attracted much praise for its programme making from both audiences and critics. Fimbles has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards including the Prix Jeunesse for Best Children's (Interactive) Website 2004, BAFTA nominations for Best Live Action Preschool Programme 2003 and 2004; Best Interactive Programme 2003; Indie Awards nomination Best Children's Programme 2005. Meanwhile, The Roly Mo Show was nominated for the 2004 'Early Years' Award by the RTS Educational Awards

The Fimbles highly popular online website, which is provided by BBC Online Services, achieves on average up to 4 million visits per week. The Roly Mo Show also has its own dedicated website which received almost 2 million visits on its initial launch in November 2004 and continues to attract approximately a million visitors every week.

Commercially too, Fimbles and The Roly Mo Show have proved to be highly successful. In 2004, Fimbles was the ninth biggest licence in the total toy and game market, and second in the pre-school licensing brand category, Fimbles was the No 1 selling 'plush' toy in the UK for both Christmas 2003 and the whole of 2004.

The Fimbles monthly magazine which was first published in October 2002, has sold more than 4 million copies since its launch. In March 2005 it was joined by TheRoly Mo magazine which quickly established itself as the most successful specialist title for pre-schoolers.

In 2006 our friends from Fimble Valley will be touring the UK in the new Fimbles Live! Stage Show. In addition, following on from a successful series of appearances at Chessington World of Adventures last Summer in The Roly Mo Show Live, Roly Mo will be taking his love of books and storytelling to the world famous Hay Book Festival where he will be appearing in a special live stage show on May 30th 2006.

Novel Entertainment continues to work towards developing stimulating, educational and entertaining children's and family entertainment.