Joan Rivers Joins The Jakers!(R) Flock as Shirley the Sheep!

Joan Rivers Joins The Jakers!(R) Flock as Shirley the Sheep!

Veteran Comedian and Famous Grandparent Joins Mel Brooks in Lending Barnyard Wit and Wisdom to PBS KIDS(R) Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks as the Voice of Shirley the Sheep

LONDON, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Joan Rivers, the self-styled "Queen of Comedy," will bring her razor sharp humor down on the farm as the voice of Shirley the Sheep. Ms. Rivers is the latest celebrity grandparent to join Entara Ltd.'s Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, the Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed animated children's series -- now seen daily on PBS KIDS (check local listings).

As Shirley, Ms. Rivers will play the wife of Wiley the Sheep, matching woolly wits with another series regular, comic legend and famous grandparent, Mel Brooks. The series tapped the two comic heroes and other high-profile grandparents to promote the show's theme of storytelling and grandparent- grandchild bonding.

Known for her unrelenting wit and unmistakable glamour, Ms. Rivers has enjoyed much success in broadcasting and comedy for over 40 years. Famous as the commentator of choice at top fashion award ceremonies such as the Oscars, she reinvents herself as the voice of Shirley the Sheep in six new episodes of the hit show, Jakers! This is not her first foray into voiceover work; Ms. Rivers recently voiced a cameo role in Shrek 2.

"We are thrilled that Joan Rivers is joining the Jakers! team," said Daniel Isman, CEO of Entara, Ltd., the global children's entertainment company. "The series is about building inter-generational relationships through storytelling and who better to relate this story than two showbiz veterans, Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks? We are certain the combination of their trademark sense of humor will delight audiences young and old."

In addition to Ms. Rivers and Mr. Brooks, new episodes of the series will feature celebrated award-winning Irish author and storyteller Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes). Real-life grandparents share their stories too, in "Meet the Grandparents," all-new interstitial segments that speak to the importance of learning from our elders.

Aimed at children ages 4-7, Jakers! reaches nearly 90 million US homes on PBS KIDS. Worldwide, the series is seen in more than 19 countries. Log on to http://www.pbs.org/pressroom for more information, or visit http://www.pbskids.org/jakers for supplemental games and activities.

The series is presented nationally by PBS member station WLIW New York.

About Jakers!

Jakers! is the only children's show that celebrates the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren in each episode. The standout educational series stimulates children to explore their heritage and encourages "co-viewing" by grandparents and grandkids. Jakers! is a unique concept, combining traditional values, state of the art animation and humor. The Emmy Award-winning series follows Piggley Winks(TM), a young pig and his friends, Dannan the Duck and Ferny the Bull, in 1950's rural Ireland. Going back to traditional roots, celebrating the gift of storytelling and the joy of childhood, it also demonstrates the value of letting children learn from their own experiences. Wiley the Sheep(TM), an American import voiced by Mel Brooks -- a firm favorite with parents -- and Joan Rivers, who joins him in matrimony as Shirley the Sheep, bring even more humor to the farm, making Jakers! a true family viewing experience.

The fun- and activity-filled Jakers! Web site, winner of a prestigious Prix Jeunesse Award, can be found at http://www.pbskids.org/jakers.

About Entara

Entara is a global children's entertainment company that holds the rights to and manages the Jakers! franchise worldwide. Entara's mission is to develop evergreen children's programming with quality content and global appeal-programming that will remain timeless throughout the generations. Entara is dedicated to enhancing the Jakers! story through innovative educational materials and compelling interactive initiatives. To accompany the series, Entara will release a range of appealing products featuring Piggley and his friends as they translate the values of the series across a variety of platforms. For more information about Entara, visit http://www.entaraltd.com/.

About PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS is committed to providing the highest quality commercial-free content and learning environment for children across the country. Providing age-appropriate, diverse programming for kids, PBS KIDS' programs consistently earn more prestigious awards than any other broadcast or cable network. Only PBS KIDS has earned the unanimous endorsement of parents, children, industry leaders and teachers. With additional PBS resources to complement its programming, including PBS KIDS online (http://www.pbskids.org/), PBS KIDS GO! (http://www.pbskidsgo.org/), PBS Parents (http://www.pbsparents.org/), PBS TeacherSource, PBS Ready To Learn services and literacy events across the country, PBS KIDS is providing the tools necessary for positive child development. PBS is a nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 348 public television stations, serving nearly 90 million people each week and reaching 99% of American homes.

Source: Entara Ltd.

CONTACT: Alison Grand of Grand Communications, Inc., +1-212-584-1133,
alison@grandcommunications.com; or Gabrielle Torello, +1-201-678-2824,
gabtpr@yahoo.com, both for Entara Ltd.

Web site: http://www.pbs.org/pressroom
http://www.pbskids.org/jakers
http://www.entaraltd.com/
http://www.pbskids.org/
http://www.pbskidsgo.org/
http://www.pbsparents.org/

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