PLAYHOUSE DISNEY SETS OUT ON AN IMAGINATIVE ADVENTURE WITH STELLA AND SAM

NEW CANADIAN ANIMATED SERIES LAUNCHES SUNDAY JANUARY 9 AT 10:30 A.M. ET

TORONTO, Nov. 17 /CNW/ - Astral's Playhouse Disney premieres the new animated series Stella and Sam on Sunday, January 9 at 10:30 a.m. ET. The new series, based on the beloved books by Canadian author and illustrator Marie-Louise Gay, follows the backyard adventures of four-year-old Sam and his older sister Stella. New episodes of the show will premiere on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. ET with episodes also airing on Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. ET as well as Saturday and Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. ET.

With wild red hair and an imagination to match, nine-year-old Stella is truly a 'star' in the eyes of her four-year-old brother Sam. As they explore the world in all its seasons, Stella and Sam encounter backyard quests and comical mishaps. Every day is a new adventure as Stella and Sam share the joy of discovering that they have what it takes to face the biggest adventure of all - growing up. Animated in an unique watercolour style that reflects the familiar illustrations of Marie-Louise Gay and featuring storylines that are inspired by the imaginative play of children, the series features 13-year-old Rachel Marcus and six-year-old Miles Johnson as the voices of the lead characters.

On playhousedisney.ca children can venture further into the world of Stella and Sam with interactive adventures designed for children and their families to explore online. Also available on playhousedisney.ca, families can learn more about show characters, play Stella and Sam games and download printable activities.

Playhouse Disney is a commercial-free, multiplex channel offered to Family Channel subscribers across Canada. Committed to offering engaging, educational and development-based programming for younger children, the channel offers exclusive, first-run programs from Disney together with celebrated Canadian series to create an environment for fun and learning. Visit us at www.playhousedisney.ca.

Playhouse Disney is a member of the Astral family. Astral is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates more than 100 of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and digital media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

For further information:

For artwork and series information, visit http://tv.astral.com
For additional information contact: Jaime Werby at 416-956-8547 or [email protected]