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Disney Channel has ordered additional second-season episodes of the hit comedy series “The Suite Life on Deck” and will bring aboard a new character played by actor Larramie “Doc” Shaw (”House of Payne”). The series is in production in Hollywood and is a spin-off of the Emmy-nominated “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” It stars Dylan Sprouse (winner of the 2009 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite TV Actor), Cole Sprouse, Brenda Song, Debby Ryan and Phill Lewis.

In making the announcement, Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment, Disney Channels Worldwide, said: “With this second-season extension, the cast of ‘The Suite Life’ makes Disney Channel history by becoming the longest running continuous characters on our air - 138 half-hour episodes. We are thrilled for them, and for the brilliant, inspired production team that made this extraordinary run possible.”

A ratings juggernaut since its September 2008 premiere, “The Suite Life on Deck” ranked as TV’s #1 series among Kids 6-11 and the #1 scripted TV series among Tweens 9-14 for all of 2008. Since then, “The Suite Life on Deck” has enjoyed smooth sailing with original episodes holding a commanding lead in the timeslot (Friday 8:00 p.m.), ranking as TV’s #1 program among the key kid demographics, virtually doubling runner up Nickelodeon among Tweens 9-14 (1.7 million vs. 878,000), and defeating it by a whopping 58% among Kids 6-11 (1.9 million vs. 1.2 million). In addition, “The Suite Life on Deck” is #1 in Total Viewers (4.1 million) on all cable, outperforming #2 rank (Fox News and Nickelodeon) by 24%, or an impressive 800,000 viewers. Premiere to date, “The Suite Life on Deck” improved its primary Friday 8:00 p.m. time period, surpassing year-ago averages by 32% in Total Viewers, by 46% in Kids 6-11 (1.9 million vs. 1.3 million) and by 55% in Tweens 9-14 (1.7 million vs. 1.1 million).

In addition to its Friday (8:00 p.m.) telecasts on Disney Channel, beginning June 15 encore episodes of “The Suite Life on Deck” will join the lineup on Disney XD, where “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” also airs daily (7:00 a.m.).

In “The Suite Life on Deck,” identical twins Zack and Cody Martin and London Tipton have embarked on a new adventure — a semester-at-sea aboard a luxurious cruise liner, the SS Tipton, with friend and classmate Bailey Pickett from Kettlecorn, Kansas. More often than not, their antics make cruise director Mr. Moseby want to walk the plank. Episodes debuting in Fall 2009 will introduce a new character, Marcus Little, a former singing sensation whose career ended when his voice changed, so he’s now making a fresh start by studying world music at Seven Seas High on the SS Tipton.

Larramie “Doc” Shaw starred as Malik Payne on Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” for which he received a 2009 NAACP Image Award nomination, the 2009 Young Artist Award and a 2009 NAMIC Vision Award for Best Performance in a Comedy. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.

“The Suite Life on Deck” is executive-produced by Danny Kallis (”Smart Guy,” “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper”), Pamela Eells O’Connell (”Family Matters”), Jim Geoghan (”Family Matters”) and Irene Dreayer (”Sister, Sister,” “Smart Guy”). “The Suite Life on Deck” is produced by It’s A Laugh Productions in association with Disney Channel.

The Week’s No. 1 Cable Net in Prime, Disney Channel Registers its 200th Straight Week at No. 1 in Kids 6-11 and its 196th in Tweens 9-14. Disney Channel is the Week’s No. 1 Cable Network in Total Day in Tweens 9-14. Cable’s No. 1 Program in Kids 6-11, “Hannah Montana” Hits a 10-Week High in Kids 6-11, Delivering Solid Double-Digit Percent Gains Week to Week.

“Hannah Montana” and “The Suite Life on Deck” Qualify as Cable’s Top 2 Programs in Kids 6-11.

“The Suite Life on Deck” and “Hannah Montana” Stand as the Week’s Top 2 Cable Programs in Tweens 9-14. In Tweens 9-14, Disney Channel Airs Cable’s Top 3 Telecasts for the Week with “The Suite Life on Deck,” “Hannah Montana” and “Phineas and Ferb,” and 7 of the Top 10 Overall.

In Kids 6-11, Friday’s All New “The Suite Life on Deck” is the Week’s No. 1 Cable Telecast, with Disney Channel Home to 6 of the Top 10 Overall.

Saturday’s Back-to-Back “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” Telecasts Place Among Cable’s Top 6 Most-Watched for the Week in Kids 2-5.

Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” Ranks No. 3 Among All Cable.
Programs in Kids 2-5, Marking the Series’ 15th Consecutive Week.
Placing Among the Top 10 in the Key Preschool Demo.

Disney Channel
* On the cusp of four straight years of dominance, Disney Channel registered its 200th consecutive No. 1 finish in Prime in Kids 6-11 (868,000/3.6 rating), with the streak at 196 weeks running in Tweens 9-14 (694,000/2.8 rating).
* Disney Channel ranked No. 1 in Total Day in core Tweens 9-14 (1.9 rating – tied).
* The week’s No. 1 cable program in Kids 6-11 (1.0 million/4.2 rating), “Hannah Montana” hit a 10-week high (since week of 11/17/08), up by a strong 17% week to week.
* In Kids 6-11, Disney Channel held the week’s Top 2 cable shows with “Hannah Montana” (No. 1 - 1.0 million /4.2 rating) and “The Suite Life on Deck” (No. 2 – 973,000/4.0 rating).
* In Tweens 9-14, Disney Channel was home to cable’s Top 2 programs with “The Suite Life on Deck” (No. 1 – 840,000/3.4 rating) and “Hannah Montana” (No. 2 – 796,000/3.3 rating).
* Disney Channel owned the week’s Top 3 cable telecasts in Tweens 9-14, and TV’s Top 3 scripted overall, with “The Suite Life on Deck” (1.5 million/6.3 rating, 1/30/09, 8:00 – 8:30 p.m.), “Hannah Montana” (1.1 million/4.3 rating, 1/26/09, 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.) and “Phineas and Ferb” (1.0 million/4.2 rating, 1/30/09, 8:30 – 9:00 p.m.), and 7 of the Top 10 overall.
* Fronted by the week’s No. 1 scripted TV telecast in Kids 6-11, and cable’s No. 1 telecast overall with Friday’s all-new “The Suite Life of Deck” (1.8 million/7.5 rating), Disney Channel delivered 6 of the week’s Top 10 on all cable in the target measure.
* Saturday’s back-to-back airings of “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” stood among cable’s Top 6 telecasts in Kids 2-5 (No. 4 – 958,000/5.9 rating, 9:00 – 9:25 a.m.; No. 6 – 929,000/5.7 rating, 9:30 – 9:55 a.m.).
* The week’s No. 4 cable program in Kids 2-5 (725,000/4.4 rating), Playhouse Disney’s “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” earned its 15th consecutive Top 10 finish in the key preschooler demo.
Source: Nielsen Media Research (National Ratings, Preliminary, Live + Same Day, 1/26/09-2/1/09). Rankings based on 000s, then US rating.
Contacts: Catherine Lord (818) 460-6628 catherine.lord@disney.com
Patti McTeague (818) 955-6743 patti.mcteague@disney.com