Nick Jr. greenlights second season of “Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom”

Entertainment One (eOne) Family has received a commission for a second season of Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom from Nick Jr. for 2012.

The Astley Baker Davies animation studio is starting production on 52 new episodes this summer. The new installments will be shown in the U.K. before rolling out to the rest of the world. The first season has sold to more than 150 territories worldwide.

The licensing program surrounding the show is also continuing to expand, with 30 licensees now on board in the U.K. The initial retail rollout began in 2010, with toy licensee Golden Bear and publishing partner Penguin exceeding expectations for the property.

eOne is investing in the development of the official Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom website, which has been refreshed with new content for a re-launch this month. The first DVD series debuted this past September; the next DVD release is scheduled for April 4.

Olivier Dumont, the managing director for Entertainment One Family, said, “The success of Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom is the latest in a series of successes for eOne Family and our stable of children’s and family brands. The renewal of the series is further evidence of our desire to grow our eOne Family division and is also a ringing endorsement for the superb talent of Astley Baker Davies and their ability to produce must-watch preschool entertainment.”

Dumont continued, “The television exposure will continue to drive awareness and demand for licensed product which we hope will inspire existing licensees and attract new licensees to the property.”