DISNEY CHANNEL ORDERS THIRD SEASON OF POPULAR COMEDY FOR KIDS AND TWEENS, "A.N.T. FARM"

Television's favorite prodigies return for a third season of the Disney Channel comedy series "A.N.T. Farm," it was announced today by Adam Bonnett, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide. Production resumes in Los Angeles this December with season three scheduled to premiere in June 2013.

"A.N.T. Farm" takes an exciting turn in the third season when musical prodigy Chyna Parks and her friends, Olive Doyle and Fletcher Quimby plus Lexi Reed, who reveals her own prodigious talent, are accepted to a prestigious A.N.T. (Advanced Natural Talents) boarding school. With an unconventional curriculum and the opportunity to learn from other students in the program, the A.N.T.s strive to take their abilities to the next level.

"'A.N.T. Farm' is a series that was initially inspired by our audience's love for stories about uniquely talented kids," said Bonnett. "Our new direction for season three allows us more opportunities to showcase the A.N.T's, their unique talents and the dedication it takes to follow your dreams."

The series was created by Dan Signer ("The Suite Life on Deck," "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody") and is executive-produced by Signer and Stephen Engel ("The Big Bang Theory," "Mad About You," "Dream On"). Starring are: China Anne McClain as Chyna Parks, Sierra McCormick as Olive Doyle, Jake Short as Fletcher Quimby and Stefanie Scott as Lexi Reed.

"A.N.T. Farm" premiered in June 2011 and ranks as the #1 TV show in its time period to date in K2-11 6-11 and 9-14. In 2Q12 it reached more than 135 million unduplicated viewers worldwide, in 162 countries and in 31 languages.

The "A.N.T. Farm" soundtrack from Walt Disney Records spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Kids Album chart and yielded two hits for McClain, "Dynamite" and "Calling All the Monsters," each spending several weeks at #1 on Radio Disney's Top 30. Additionally, McClain, age 14, is a Hollywood Records recording artist and is currently working on an album with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn. Most recently, McClain Sisters wrote and performed "Rise," this year's Disney Friends for Change anthem, as featured in Disneynature's "Chimpanzee" and "The Great Divide" from the forthcoming Tinker Bell film, "Secret of the Wings."

New episodes of "A.N.T. Farm" air FRIDAYS on Disney Channel. The series is a production of It's A Laugh Productions, Inc and carries a TV-G parental guideline.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 99 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.

*Source: NTI, U.S. ratings, most current. "A.N.T. Farm" launch to date: 6/17/11-9/30/12; 2Q12 reach: 3/26/12-6/24/12.