AFTER FRODO AND BILBO, THERE WAS BUBBLE!

NICKELODEON PRESENTS THE LEGENDARY BUBBLE GUPPIES TALE "THE PUPPY AND THE RING," PREMIERING THURSDAY, DEC. 5, AT 7PM (ET/PT)

Jeffrey Tambor Guest Stars as an Evil Night Wizard in Hour-Long Primetime Event

NEW YORK - NOV. 25, 2013 - The must-see movie of this holiday season features magical creatures, wondrous realms, and one "precious" puppy. In advance of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug release (Dec. 12), Nickelodeon will debut the epic Bubble Guppies primetime special, "The Puppy and the Ring," premiering Thursday, Dec. 5, 7-8 p.m. (ET/PT). Inspired by The Lord of the Rings, the mythical adventure features Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) as the voice of an evil Night Wizard who has stolen the Ring of the Sun. The Emmy Award-winning series Bubble Guppies is currently the number-one rated preschool show in its time period (11a-12pm).

"I am going to be a hero in my own household," says Tambor. "My twin boys will go ballistic when they hear Daddy. Ah to be 'cool' in one's own living room."

In "The Puppy and the Ring," preschoolers are welcomed into Bubbledom, a land of secrets and sorcery where the magical Ring of the Sun has always kept night and day in perfect balance. But when the evil Night Wizard takes the Ring from the benevolent Sun King, Bubbledom could be thrown into darkness forever! Join Molly and Gil as they accompany their puppy on a quest through three magical realms so they can return the Ring of the Sun to its rightful owner by sundown.

At NickJr.com, Nickelodeon's award-winning website for parents and preschoolers, fans can experience Bubble Guppies online transformation into the world of Bubbledom; watch a sneak-peek of "The Puppy and the Ring" and print Bubble Guppies games and activities. Additionally, the special will be available for download beginning Dec. 6 on iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Playstation, Vudu, Target Ticket, Samsung and VDIO.

Bubble Guppies is created and executive-produced by Jonny Belt and Robert Scull and co-developed by Janice Burgess, the Emmy Award-winning team behind the hit Nickelodeon series' The Backyardigans and Little Bill. The CG-animated series set in a vibrant underwater environment follows a group of diverse preschoolers with colorful fish tails who go on adventures discovering their world. Bubble Guppies is set to a soundtrack of catchy, educational pop songs and features a curriculum that infuses the core elements of kindergarten readiness including: math, literacy, the arts, science and socio-emotional development.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).