The Next Step is headed to US television for the first time, following a deal between Toronto, Canada’s Boat Rocker Rights and NBCUniversal-owned net Universal Kids.

Universal Kids acquired US linear rights to all five seasons (154 x half hours) of the tween series and is on board for the sixth as a production partner. Filming now, season six (26 x half hours) is produced by Boat Rocker subsidiary Radical Sheep alongside Universal Sprout.

Boat Rocker Rights also announced that it will handle global distribution for season six of the show and beyond. Seasons one to five are distributed by BBC Worldwide.

The series already airs in more than 120 countries worldwide, including in Australia, where it airs on both ABC Australia and Disney Channel Oz. In Canada, the series airs on Family Channel.

The Next Step is executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Lost & Found Music Studios, Wingin’ It), Michelle Melanson Cuperus (The Bagel and Becky Show, Fangbone!), Rachael Schaefer (The Next Step, Wingin’ It) and Karen McClellan (The Other Kingdom, Being Erica). Schaefer and McClellan also return as showrunners for the new season.

Created by Frank van Keeken, The Next Step is produced with the participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund, the CMF and BBC Worldwide.

From Playback.