Geri Halliwell, Jenny Frost, Donna Air, Duncan James, Jasmine Guinness and Gary Lucy

to read bedtime stories on top children’s TV channel

. Monday 6 October 2008 - Nick Jr, the award-winning preschool TV channel from Nickelodeon UK, has announced that Geri Halliwell, Donna Air, Duncan James, Jenny Frost, Jasmine Guinness and Gary Lucy will become storytellers for the channel’s Once Upon A Bedtime month this November.

As the culmination of Nick Jr’s Once Upon A Bedtime initiative, in support of the 2008 National Year of Reading, the channel will air special bedtime story programming every evening from Monday 3rd November at 6 - 8pm, with an aim to making reading part of every child’s nightly routine.

A brand new series, A Bedtime Story with Arnie and Barnie, will feature Nick Jr’s much-loved worm presenters, joined by young children, as they settle down for a bedtime story. Celebrities will visit to read them a classic children’s tale, whilst other episodes will unveil the much-anticipated five winning stories from this year’s Once Upon A Bedtime story-writing competition. A Bedtime Story with Arnie and Barnie will air at 7.15pm in the evening on Nick Jr and 7.45pm Nick Jr 2.

Children’s author and former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, one of the competition judges, will read Little Red Riding Hood in one of the shows, as she passionately believes in the benefits of sharing bedtime stories with young children:

“I regularly read to my daughter Bluebell - it helps to settle her into a nightly routine, plus improves her imagination, vocabulary and listening skills. I especially enjoy inventing new stories and ideas with her.”

Actress, TV presenter and mum-of-one Donna Air will also lend her support to the initiative, bringing to life Goldilocks and the Three Bears, while ex-Atomic Kitten and new mum Jenny Frost will be reading The Ugly Duckling to the channel’s preschool viewers. Presenter and singer Duncan James will be breathing life into The Emperor’s New Clothes, model and designer Jasmine Guinness will read The Tortoise and the Hare and The Bill’s Gary Lucy will recreate the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast.

As part of the bedtime programming, Nick Jr will also be airing a series of intimate short films entitled My Favourite Bedtime Story, about the special time that parents and children share when they read a bedtime story together. Each film meets a different UK child who introduces a tale inspired by their cultural background, such as half-Norwegian Kai, aged 5, who tells us about his favourite fairy tale from Norway, The 3 Billy Goats Gruff.

“Fantastic stories have always had the ability to spark children’s imagination”, says Howard Litton, Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK. “Tucking up little ones with the help of a good bedtime tale can be a special time for parents to bond with them and can be a lot of fun too! This is the second year we have held our Once Upon A Bedtime competition and we’re delighted to have the support of some of Britain’s most popular celebrities for our dedicated Once Upon A Bedtime month. We hope that it will inspire as many families as possible to delve into a book at bedtime or even make up their own stories.”

Nick Jr’s Once Upon A Bedtime month begins on Monday 3 November. Join in the bedtime story fun every evening at 6pm – 8pm only on Nick Jr, including the UK premiere of the brand new series, A Bedtime Story with Arnie and Barnie, daily at 7.15pm. For more details and activities, visit the official website at www.nickjr.co.uk/bedtime.