Cartoon Network (UK & Ireland) late night slot. On 27 May 2000, the channel Boomerang was launched by Cartoon Network in the UK and Ireland, and most "classic" cartoons were moved from Cartoon Network to the new channel, which initially broadcast from 6am to 12am. On 1 October 2001, Boomerang became a 24-hour channel and the remaining "classic" cartoons (except for Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry shorts, Thunderbirds, Danger Mouse, Scooby Doo, and The Flintstones, which remained until November 2002) like The Smurfs, also moved to Boomerang. On 24 May 2007, Cartoonito was launched as a pre-school channel replacing Toonami. The channel aired from 4am
Cartoon Network (UK & Ireland) 3pm. Another feature was "The Longest Day", in which Cartoon Network ran for an extra four hours until 11pm on 21 June, every year beginning in 1994. This slot was dedicated to full-length cartoon movies. The first theme was the Checkerboard theme, which showed graphics from its US counterpart and lasted until 1999. The Checkerboard branding package was developed by Hatmaker Studios, now merged and part of its sister company - Corey, McPherson and Nash. Also unlike its rival Nickelodeon, which was part of Sky Multichannels, Cartoon Network was free-to-air across Europe. On 26 August 1996, Cartoon Network began running