Buddy

Canada's Breakthrough Entertainment, the company behind kids series Atomic Betty, is teasing international buyers with the first glimpse of its next toon, one it is billing as "the first gay animated sitcom."

Buddy's is based on the character of Buddy Cole, made famous by Canadian comedian Scott Thompson in the Kids in the Hall series and film, and is in development with Canadian pubcaster CBC and US gay and lesbian channel Here!.

Breakthrough Entertainment head of distribution Tanya Kelen described Buddy as "a cross between Oscar Wilde and Bugs Bunny" and said that the series will be ready for Mipcom.

The gay market is something Breakthrough is familiar with thanks to its sexy soap Paradise Falls, which features gay characters. "Paradise Falls sold so well in the gay niche market that we think many of those partners will come on board for Buddy's," said Kelen.

The series is predominantly set in Buddy's downtown bar, which also happens to double as his home, and features a cast of characters including a vindictive city councilwoman, a precocious cat as well as Buddy's bouncer, waiter and best mate.