BBC EARTH CELEBRATES WORLD OCEANS DAY JUNE 8 WITH GLOBAL MULTIPLATFORM LAUNCH OF ORIGINAL SHORT FILM "A THANK YOU WOULD BE NICE" STARRING SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS

Also Starring SpongeBob's Arch Nemesis Sheldon J. Plankton

New York - June 8, 2015 - Today, BBC Earth, the BBC's global factual brand, releases an original short film, A Thank You Would Be Nice to celebrate the incredible contribution that plankton makes to our planet featuring Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and his arch nemesis Sheldon J. Plankton.

In A Thank You Would Be Nice, Sheldon J. Plankton makes the case for his kind as the world's most important lifeform. Plankton is not only responsible for 50% of earth's oxygen, but an essential part of the food chain, and crude oil is formed from ancient plankton. In Sheldon J. Plankton's words, "Do we feel important to you now? The food you eat, the air you breathe... Come on, people!"

Honoring World Ocean's Day, the short film will be broadcast across BBC Earth's global channels and will be posted on BBC Earth's social platforms using the hashtag #AThankYouWouldBeNice .

Jo Sermon, Director of BBC Earth said, "SpongeBob SquarePants and Sheldon J. Plankton are instantly recognizable characters, allowing us to share the story of one of Earth's most vital creatures in a way that will immediately connect with viewers. This is a fantastic way to share this story with millions of fans worldwide."

BBC Earth is BBC Worldwide's premium factual brand behind global blockbusters such as Planet Earth, Walking with Dinosaurs, Life Story, and Blue Planet. From the depths of the ocean to the outer reaches of the universe BBC Earth seeks to inspire global audiences with incredible stories. The newly launched BBC Earth feature site on BBC.com was the 2015 People's Voice Webby Award winner for Best Science Website and this year the brand launched its first linear channels in Poland, The Nordics, Turkey, and Romania with further international roll outs of the channel planned this year.