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´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide has today announced a deal with Ty to produce a line of Beanie Babies based on the iconic Teletubbies brand. It is more than twelve years since the group first burst onto UK screens to become the worldwide phenomenon that continues to delight children across the globe today.

The new deal with Ty will see Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po transformed into 6" Beanie Babies, which will launch in the UK and Ireland this coming Autumn/Winter. Each Beanie will carry a SRP of £5.99.

Teletubbies, created by Ragdoll Productions for the ´óÏó´«Ã½, continues to be a huge success across the world having aired in more than 120 countries. There has also been unprecedented licensing success with international sales of more than 33 million DVDs and videos and over 50 million plush toys.

Commenting on the deal, Richard Hollis, Head of UK Licensing for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide, said: "They may have conquered the globe, had a number one single, and graced many a magazine cover, but this deal marks another milestone for the Teletubbies. To be able to work with such an esteemed licensee as Ty is a testament to the appeal of the brand; it's as much part of culture today as it was twelve years ago."

The popular Teletubbies Dance Tour staged across the UK in 2009, was taken to Australia earlier this year and will shortly transfer to China for the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide are currently working on a number of exciting new initiatives for the brand and will be announcing these in due course.

NOTES TO EDITORS
About Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Limited, a privately owned family company, was founded in 1984 and has produced more than 1,500 programmes aimed at the youngest viewers and won the prestigious BAFTA Award for Best Independent Production Company in 2008. Ragdoll produced series for children can be seen in more than 120 countries and territories around the world and include the phenomenally successful, BAFTA winning Teletubbies and double-BAFTA winning In the Night Garden. In 2006 Ragdoll and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Worldwide formed a joint venture, Ragdoll Worldwide to manage and exploit the existing Ragdoll catalogue.

Luke Campbell