HiT Entertainment

HiT Entertainment was the owner and production company of Thomas & Friends from the eighth to the twentieth series. They also helped to finish the seventh series.

HiT was originally formed as Henson International Television (hit!) in 1983 as a branch of the Jim Henson Company in order to coordinate the co-production of Fraggle Rock in London, England, United Kingdom. This subsidiary was later sold and retains none of the original Henson company architecture except for the name. It later re-branded itself as "HiT Entertainment".

They aquired Gullane Entertainment in 2002. Then, Gullane was purchased and went defunct in 2003. After Hit purchased Gullane, it produced their own series of Thomas episodes and merchandise. HiT acquired the television rights for Thomas & Friends in 2002, during the airing of the sixth series and the filming of the seventh.

On 1 February 2012, it was announced that Mattel purchased HiT Entertainment from Apax Partners for $680 million (US). Other bidders included Viacom, Disney, Chorion, Saban Brands and Tomy.

In May 2017, HiT Entertainment merged with Mattel Playground Productions, forming Mattel Creations. As of mid-2018, Mattel no longer uses the HiT Entertainment brand name for shows and their website redirects to Mattel's website. 9 Story Media Group took over HiT Entertainment's role of their distribution for the Barney & Friends DVDs. Mattel Creations took over the role for the other DVDs as well. HiT Entertainment still, however, exists as a copyright holder for shows and merchandise only.

Staff

Jocelyn Stevenson, Lenora Hume, Christopher Skala, Karen Barnes, Marion Edwards, Michael Carrington, Christopher Keenan, and Edward Catchpole acted as executive producers.

Ian McCue produced the series for HiT from the sixteenth to twentieth series. He also worked as line producer for the fifteenth series.

Sharon Miller and Jo Jordan served as creative producers. The latter also served as post-production producer for Hero of the Rails.

Denise Green served as line producer for Hero of the Rails, Misty Island Rescue, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth series. Micaela Winter also served as line producer for The Great Race, Bubbling Boilers and the twentieth series.

Claire Waxler and Sam Barlow served as supervising producers.

Karen Davidsen served as head/director of production from the nineteenth and twentieth series, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and The Great Race.

Karen Davies is the director of content services.

Releases

UK VHS and DVD Releases

• The Very Best of Thomas and Friends (DVD only)
• The Fogman and Other Stories
• The Chocolate Crunch and other stories
• Brave Little Engines
• Happy Little Helpers
• All Aboard!
• Engines to the Rescue
• All Aboard with the Steam Team
• Pulling Together!
• It's Great to be an Engine
• Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
• The Complete Series 1
• The Complete Series 2
• Bumper Party Collection!
• Calling All Engines!
• The Complete Series 3
• Tales from the Tracks
• Little Engines, Big Days Out
• The Complete Series 4
• Thomas' Trusty Friends (DVD)
• The Complete Series 5
• On Track for Adventure
• Together on the Tracks
• Engines and Escapades
• The Complete Series 6
• The Complete Series 7
• The Spirit of Sodor
• The Complete Series 8
• The Great Discovery
• The Complete Series 9
• Carnival Capers
• Songs from Sodor
• Heave Ho!
• Hero of the Rails
• Splish, Splash, Splosh!
• The Best of Thomas
• The Complete Series 10
• Thomas and the Runaway Kite
• Creaky Cranky
• Misty Island Rescue
• Christmas Express
• Official DVD and Book (Gift Set)
• Wobbly Wheels and Whistles
• The Complete Series 12
• The Lion of Sodor
• Pop Goes Thomas
• Day of the Diesels
• The Birthday Express
• Thomas in Charge!
• The Best of James
• The Best of Percy
• The Best of Friends
• The Complete Series 13
• Up, Up and Away!
• Steam Team Collection
• Rescue On the Rails
• Curious Cargo
• Blue Mountain Mystery
• Merry Winter Wish
• A Close Shave
• Journey with Thomas
• Sticky Situations
• Go Go Thomas!
• Sodor's Heroes!
• Muddy Matters
• The Complete Series 14
• King of the Railway
• Merry Christmas, Thomas!
• Big Bang Surprise
• The Thomas Way
• Spills and Thrills
• Really Useful Collection
• The Complete Series 15
• Tale of the Brave
• Santa's Little Engine
• Dinos and Discoveries
• Trouble on the Tracks
• The Complete Series 16
• Fantastic Friends
• Railway Mischief
• Friends Together
• The Adventure Begins
• 1st Class Stories
• Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
• The Christmas Engines
• Signals Crossed
• Start Your Engines!
• Whale of a Tale and Other Sodor Adventures
• The Complete Series 17
• The Great Race
• Full Steam to the Rescue!
• Thomas' Christmas Carol
• Tales from the Rails
• Extraordinary Engines
• The Complete Series 18
• Team Up With Thomas
• Journey Beyond Sodor
• Christmas on Sodor
• Danger at the Docks
• On the Go with Thomas
• The Complete Series 19
• Here Comes the Steam Team!
• Big World! Big Adventures!
• Monkey Trouble!
• The Complete Series 20
• A Colourful World
• Digs and Discoveries
• Steam Team to the Rescue
• The Complete Series 21 (coming soon)

HiT Favourites DVD Releases

• Incredibubble Children's Favourites
• Sporty Children's Favourites
• Amazing Children's Favourites
• Happy Children's Favourites
• Playtime Children's Favourites
• Ultimate Children's Favourites
• Funtastic Children's Favourites
• Funshine Children's Favourites
• PartyTime! Children's Favourites
• Spooky Collection
• The Groovy Collection
• The Musical Collection
• Winter Collection
• Active Collection
• Frosty Friends
• Snow Days
• Back to School
• Trick or Treat Tales
• Here Comes Spring!
• The Little Big Club: Watch and Play - Collection 1
• The Little Big Club Watch and Play - Collection Two
• Awesome Adventures - Mighty Messes
• Awesome Adventures - Party Surprise
• Awesome Adventures - Thrills and Chills
• Awesome Adventures - Races, Chases and Rescues
• Awesome Adventures Favourite Friends

AUS VHS and DVD Releases

• Thomas and the Jet Engine
• Twin Trouble
• The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
• Engines to the Rescue
• All Aboard with the Steam Team
• Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
• Calling All Engines!
• Truck Loads of Fun
• The Complete Series 1
• The Complete Series 2
• The Complete Series 3
• The Complete Series 4
• The Complete Series 5
• Happy Holidays
• Rusty Saves the Day
• Little Engines Big Days Out
• Thomas' Trusty Friends
• Together on the Tracks
• The Great Discovery
• The Complete Series 6
• Carnival Capers
• The Complete Series 7
• The Complete Series 8
• The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 1
• My First Thomas with Thomas
• My First Thomas with Percy
• My First Thomas with James
• Hero of the Rails
• Engines and Escapades
• The Complete Series 9
• The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 2
• The Complete Series 10
• Heave Ho!
• My First Thomas with Henry and Gordon
• My First Thomas with Toby and Edward
• My First Thomas with Bertie and Harold
• Misty Island Rescue
• Songs from Sodor
• My First Thomas with The Twin Engines
• My First Thomas with The Fat Controller
• My First Thomas with Diesel
• The Party Surprise
• The Complete Series 11
• Splish, Splash, Splosh!
• Day of the Diesels
• Merry Winter Wish
• The Lion of Sodor
• The Complete Series 12
• Wobbly Wheels and Whistles
• Blue Mountain Mystery
• Curious Cargo
• Go Go Thomas!
• Rescue On the Rails
• King of the Railway
• Sticky Situations
• Spills and Thrills
• Thomas in Charge!
• Tale of the Brave
• Santa's Little Engine
• Dinos and Discoveries
• Trouble on the Tracks
• Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
• The Adventure Begins
• Start Your Engines!
• Railway Mischief
• The Great Race
• The Christmas Engines
• Signals Crossed
• Whale of a Tale and Other Sodor Adventures
• Journey Beyond Sodor
• Thomas' Christmas Carol
• Extraordinary Engines
• Team Up With Thomas
• Big World! Big Adventures!
• Christmas on Sodor
• Here Comes the Steam Team!
• Monkey Trouble!
• Digs and Discoveries

US VHS and DVD Releases

Double Feature