Key brands, Doctor Who, Top Gear and BBC Earth (the natural history unit that includes Life and Planet Earth) helped lift BBC Worldwide sales and profits to record highs last year. Total revenue was just over £1 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2009-10, up 7 percent, while profits before interest, tax and one-off items leapt 37 percent to £145 million ($220 million).

The global brands division of BBC Worldwide, which includes licensing activity, saw sales rise just over 15 percent to £71 million ($107 million) and a drop in profitability of nearly 9 percent. Licensing represented £19.5 million ($29.5 million) of that. Lonely Planet, bought by BBC Worldwide in 2007, has seen particular success in digital channels, with Apple now the single largest distributor of its city guides. Owners of the iPhone have downloaded 4.5 million Lonely Planet apps, after a promotional giveaway this year.

In other BBC Worldwide news, the company has just appointed CP International Clothing as the first external licensee for the children's property, dirtgirlworld. The deal is for high-end children's daywear and will include 100 percent organic T-shirts, dresses and dungarees for girls and boys. Initial lines will launch through independent retailers for spring/summer 2011, with plans to explore further opportunities later in the year. "Dirtgirlworld" is an upbeat musical show for children ages 3 to 7 exploring the natural world. Developed by mememe productions, the series combines animated and live-action, along with photo-montage and illustration to deliver its style of "eco-tainment." It launched on CBeebies in November 2009.