Sprout

Sprout (formerly PBS Kids Sprout) is a cable channel owned by NBC Universal. In 2005, it was original formed by Comcast in conjunction with Sesame Workshop, PBS and HIT Entertainment. Sprout is available on many major cable networks, as well as DirectTV. It replaced the PBS Kids Channel that originally was available prior to Sprout's debut.

Apax Partners, the former owners of HIT Entertainment, sold their share of the network in 2013. Mattel did not take said share when it bought the company a year earlier. Sesame Workshop and PBS followed suit, giving NBC Universal full control of the network.

Barney & Friends

Barney & Friends was one of the initial shows on Sprout when it first aired, along with favorites like Sesame Street and Bob the Builder. The show lasted on the channel until September 2015, making it one of Sprout's longest lasting programs.

**Timeline of Barney & Friends on Sprout**

2005: Barney & Friends becomes one of the launch shows for Sprout, with episodes from Seasons 4-8 initially shown.

September 27, 2007: Season 1-3 episodes added

April 2, 2008: Season 9 episodes added

March 21, 2011: Season 10 episodes added

August 2011: Season 1-6 episodes removed from the channel

October 2011: Season 11 and 12 episodes added.

2012: Season 13 episodes added.

September 26, 2015: Barney & Friends is removed from the Sprout schedule, along with other HIT Entertainment properties, in order for original shows on its network.^[1]

Appearances

2005: Barney hosted a Thanksgiving marathon, presenting a six hour block of "Barney & Friends" episodes.

2007: Barney appears on The Sunny Side Up Show for Thanksgiving

2009: Barney appears on The Sunny Side Up Show (again) for Valentine's Day

2010: Barney teams up with Dorothy the Dinosaur for a Valentine's Day special in 2010, which was rescreened in 2011.

March 31, 2011: Barney's friend Riff appears on The Sunny Side Up Show.

Barney has appeared in subsequent Thanksgiving episodes of The Sunny Side Up Show. In addition, he made an appearance during the show's "Dinosaurs Week."