Ragdoll and BBC Worldwide Set Up New Venture

LONDON, September 21: In
preparation for Teletubbies’
tenth anniversary, Ragdoll and BBC Worldwide have created a new joint venture
called Ragdoll Worldwide.

Besides exploiting the
current catalogue of Ragdoll programming, the joint venture will launch two new
exciting properties, In the Night Garden and Tronji, which
Ragdoll has nearly completed. Both shows are scheduled to air in the U.K. on
the BBC in 2007.

BBC Worldwide will handle
international broadcast sales as well as U.K. and international licensing of
all Ragdoll properties including: Blips, Boohbah, Brum, Tots TV, Rosie and
Jim and the Open a Door series on behalf of the new joint venture. Ragdoll
retains all U.K. broadcast rights. Ragdoll USA, part of the new joint venture,
will manage the Ragdoll portfolio in North America.

“Ragdoll is pleased to
further strengthen its unique relationship with BBC Worldwide,” says Mark
Hollingsworth, the commercial director of Ragdoll. “Creating a vehicle that is
equally owned by, and managed with BBC Worldwide allows both organizations to
collaborate and capitalize on our respective strengths around the world. I am
certain that the creation of Ragdoll Worldwide will result in additional
exposure and awareness of the Ragdoll brand globally,” he added.

“This is an important
development for BBC Worldwide as it secures one of our most important
relationships in the children’s business in advance of the launch of their new
slate of fantastic properties,” adds Mark Young, BBC Worldwide’s managing
director for children's and global TV sales. “Ragdoll and BBC Worldwide have
had a long and successful partnership going back over a decade. I am proud that
Anne Wood [creator of Teletubbies] and her world-beating innovative creative team believe that a commercial
partnership with BBC Worldwide under this joint venture offers Ragdoll great
opportunities for the future.”