Barney

Barney is the famous character from the popular children’s serial, Barney & Friends. Barney & Friends is produced in the US, but the show is aired in many countries. Barney is a purple-coloured, friendly and lovable anthropomorphic dinosaur (Tyrannosaurus rex). In the serial, Barney jumps around singing children’s songs.

Sheryl Leach created Barney in 1987. The inspiration came from her own life, when she was looking at an educational yet appealing TV show for her son. The result was Barney and the Backyard Gang, a series of home videos. The characters Baby Bop, BJ and Riff were later entrants. However, this series was just a regional success. Some of the videos in the Barney and the Backyard Gang series include The Backyard Show, Barney's Campfire Sing-Along, Barney Goes to School, among others.

Public Broadcasting Service bought the rights to the program and altered the format and Barney’s character. When the revamped Barney and his friends appeared in "Barney & Friends" in 1992, they captured the public imagination. Targeted at preschoolers, this show has had a successful run, with as many as ten seasons. Season One premiered in 1992, while Season Ten premiered as recently as October 2006. The series is now produced in a Dallas suburb. HIT Entertainment distributes the serials and videos presently.