Little Miss Naughty meets Noddy in £28m deal

Entertainment group Chorion today said it was planning to buy the business behind the Mr Men for £28m (€41m).

The London-based group said it was proposing to acquire The Hargreaves Organisation and Mister Films, which together own the rights to the Mr Men.

The purchase means characters such as Mr Happy, Mr Tickle and Little Miss Naughty will join the Chorion stable, which already includes Noddy, Big Ears and the Famous Five.

Chorion said it was planning “a complete reinvigoration and internationalisation” of the Mr Men.

The first Mr Men book by Roger Hargreaves appeared in 1971 and the first TV series based on the characters, narrated by the late Arthur Lowe, was produced in 1975.

More than 100 million of the books are thought to have been sold worldwide and there are now 46 Mr Men and 33 Little Miss characters.