From the wreckage of Stewart House, Trafalgar Square in Pomfret, Vt., has picked up one of the most desirable pieces: effective immediately it will handle U.S. distribution for BBC Worldwide America, one of the U.K.'s largest consumer publishers. As part of the deal, Trafalgar will distribute books developed from the BBC's top series, such as Great Food, Ground Force, Changing Rooms and The Office. Only the Doctor Who mass market novels are excluded from the arrangement.

With the addition of BBC Worldwide to the 45 British publishers that Trafalgar already represents, it now has the leading U.K. houses, including Hodder Headline, Random House U.K. and HarperCollins U.K. trade.

Bill Gaden, senior v-p, marketing and consumer products at BBC Worldwide, said the Trafalgar deal "gives us another real foothold in the U.S. publishing market." He said BBC Worldwide plans to continue to copublish adult and children's books with North American houses.