Ragdoll Productions
Ragdoll Productions is an independent British children’s television production company that Anne WoodAnne WoodAnne Wood is a British children’s television producer who founded Ragdoll Productions in 1984 and co-created the pre-school series Teletubbies with Andrew Davenport; earlier she founded the children’s book magazine Books for Your Children and the Federation of Children’s Book Groups.Open the full entry conceived in 1984; it made pre-school programmes including Pob, Rosie and Jim and Brum, and, with Andrew DavenportAndrew DavenportAndrew Davenport is a British children’s television creator, writer and composer who co-created the pre-school series Teletubbies with Anne Wood and wrote all 365 episodes, later creating In the Night Garden and Moon and Me.Open the full entry, Teletubbies and In the Night Garden. In 2013 its programme rights were sold to DHX MediaWildBrainWildBrain Ltd. is a Toronto-based Canadian children’s and family entertainment company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange; formerly DHX Media, it built a portfolio including Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake and Yo Gabba Gabba! through a series of acquisitions and runs the licensing agency WildBrain CPLG and a network of children’s YouTube channels. It long held a minority stake in Peanuts, which it sold to Sony in 2026, repaying all of its corporate debt.Open the full entry (now WildBrain), while the company itself remained with the Wood family and went on to make Twirlywoos and B.O.T. and the Beasties.
Contents22 sections
Key facts
1984Founding Idea
Anne Wood conceived her own independent production company in 1984; its name came from Jemima, a rag doll belonging to her daughter, Katherine Wood.[1]
1985Incorporation and Pob
Ragdoll Productions (U.K.) Limited was incorporated on April 22, 1985.[2]
Its early directors included Anne Wood, Barrie John Wood, Christopher Wood and Katherine Wood.[3]
The company’s first creation, Pob, was broadcast from 1985 to 1988 and was its first collaboration with puppeteer Robin Stevens.[4]
September 1990Rosie and Jim and Brum
Rosie and Jim (ITV) aired from September 1990 to January 2000, and Brum (BBCBBCThe BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. Its predecessor was the British Broadcasting Company, formed in 1922, and since 1927 it has been established under a Royal Charter. It provides television, radio, and online services in the UK, is funded mainly by the television licence fee, and broadcasts worldwide in multiple languages through BBC World Service.Open the full entry) from September 1991 to September 2001.[5]
October 1991Ragdoll Video Limited
Ragdoll Video Limited, a television programme production company, was incorporated on October 15, 1991.[6]
Anne Wood has been a director since that day, and Barrie John Wood served as a director from September 1992 to August 2006.[7]
1992Move to Stratford-upon-Avon
In 1992 the company moved to Stratford-upon-Avon and took over a refurbished antique shop on Chapel Street, turning about two-thirds of it into children’s play areas, selling Ragdoll merchandise in the rest and using the upper floors as offices; the shop closed in 2005 because it could not expand.[8]
March 1997Teletubbies
TeletubbiesTeletubbiesTeletubbies is a pre-school children’s television series co-created by the British company Ragdoll Productions and Andrew Davenport, first broadcast on the BBC from 1997; the brand later passed to the Canadian company DHX Media (now WildBrain), which added a 2015 series, a Netflix series and YouTube animation.Open the full entry, co-created with Andrew Davenport, premiered on the BBC in March 1997.[5]
Anne Wood’s cold calls to US broadcasters and distributors produced no deals until Tots TV and Teletubbies were shown on PBS.[9]
1999Foundation
In 1999 Anne and Barrie Wood set up the Ragdoll Foundation, which was granted 15% of the company’s shares.[10]
2000Company Renamings
On February 7, 2000, Ragdoll Video Limited was renamed Ragdoll Productions Limited.[6]
The same day, Ragdoll Productions (U.K.) Limited was renamed Ragdoll Limited.[2]
Badjelly the Witch, an animated adaptation of a Spike Milligan story, aired on the BBC at Christmas 2000.[11]
2003–2009Boohbah and In the Night Garden
Boohbah (ITV) aired in April 2003; In the Night Garden (BBC), based on a concept by Anne Wood and created, written and scored by Andrew Davenport with narration by Derek Jacobi, began its 100 episodes in March 2007; and Tronji (BBC) aired in May 2009.[11]
2006Joint Venture with BBC Worldwide
In 2006 Ragdoll and BBC Worldwide formed the joint venture Ragdoll Worldwide; in 2008 Ragdoll merged its North American team into BBC Worldwide’s children’s division in New York.[9]
Ragdoll Worldwide Limited was incorporated on April 19, 2006, as Ragdoll Developments Limited and took the Ragdoll Worldwide name on April 27, 2010.[12]
Christopher Wood has been a director of Ragdoll Productions Limited since August 2006; Andrew Davenport was a director from October 2006 to March 2010.[7]
2011Dipdap and Abney & Teal
Dipdap (BBC), whose character follows a line drawn live on screen by Steve Roberts, aired 52 episodes in January and November 2011; The Adventures of Abney & Teal (BBC) aired 52 episodes in September 2011.[13]
September 2013Programme Rights Sold
In September 2013 DHX Media acquired the rights to all Ragdoll programmes except Pob, including Teletubbies, and any new versions of past programmes would be made by DHX Media; Ragdoll said the deal enabled it to finance new productions.[14]
The programme catalogue was sold, but the Ragdoll company itself was not.[13]
DHX Media said Anne Wood and her son Christopher would continue to run Ragdoll Productions.[15]
Anne Wood and Christopher Wood resigned as directors of Ragdoll Limited on September 13, 2013.[3]
February 2015Twirlywoos
CBeebies commissioned Twirlywoos, a 50 x 11-minute pre-school series mixing stop-frame animation and live action; Anne Wood devised and executive produced it, Steve Roberts was lead creative and writer, Chris Wood was producer, and DHX Media co-produced it and handled global distribution and licensing.[16]
The series first aired on February 23, 2015.[17]
The company worked with Professor Cathy Nutbrown, an early years education specialist, to make the show’s educational concepts more evident.[18]
November 2015First Award
On November 14, 2015, Twirlywoos won Best Animation/Puppetry at the Royal Television Society North-West Animation Awards.[19]
2016Second Series and Chicago Award
In March 2016 CBeebies commissioned 25 new 11-minute episodes of Twirlywoos, again produced in association with DHX Media.[20]
In November 2016 Twirlywoos received a Special Award for Best Production for Young Children (ages 2–5) at the 33rd Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.[21]
November 2017Second RTS Award
On November 11, 2017, Twirlywoos again won Best Animation/Puppetry at the Royal Television Society North-West Awards.[22]
September 2020B.O.T. and the Beasties
On September 22, 2020, the company announced B.O.T. and the Beasties, a 2D animated pre-school series of 50 five-minute episodes due on CBeebies in early 2021; Anne Wood said it would help children develop counting, sorting and early storytelling skills.[23]
2021Launch and Control Change
The series aired on CBeebies at 10:50 a.m. on weekdays from January 11, 2021; the company gave four young animators and two layout artists, all from the Midlands, their first professional work.[24]
CAKE took worldwide distribution rights outside the UK, and Brands With Influence managed licensing worldwide.[25]
In March 2021 the registered office moved from Stratford-upon-Avon to near Banbury; on December 10, 2021, Christopher Wood replaced Anne Wood as the registered person with significant control; in June 2024 the registered office moved to Bloxham, near Banbury.[26]
September 2023Foundation Gift
In September 2023 the Ragdoll Foundation announced a £195,000 gift to the University of Sheffield to support 30 students from underrepresented backgrounds over five years.[27]
As of October 2026: Current Status
Ragdoll Productions Limited remains an active private limited company engaged in television programme production, with its latest accounts made up to March 31, 2025.[6]
Its current directors are Anne Wood and Christopher Wood.[7]
The company has run for more than 30 years and made over 1,700 programmes.[28]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Ragdoll Productions: Official website: https://www.ragdoll.co.uk/ (opens in a new window)[29]
YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCa0ScxhCsFomsDSwSUo_tg (opens in a new window)[29]
Ragdoll Foundation: Official website: https://www.ragdollfoundation.org.uk (opens in a new window)[30]
WildBrain: Official website: https://www.wildbrain.com/ (opens in a new window)[31]
Sources
- In the Beginning - Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- DHX WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- DHX WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- 1980s – The Early Years - Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- 1990s - Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- RAGDOLL PRODUCTIONS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- RAGDOLL PRODUCTIONS LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- 1992 – The Ragdoll Shop (opens in a new window)
- Company Expansion - Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- Our story – The Ragdoll Foundation (opens in a new window)
- 2000s (opens in a new window)
- DHX WORLDWIDE LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- 2010s (opens in a new window)
- New Era for Ragdoll (opens in a new window)
- DHX Media acquires Ragdoll Worldwide; owner of ‘Teletubbies’ and ‘In the Night Garden’ children’s brands (opens in a new window)
- Announcing Twirlywoos (opens in a new window)
- Our Shows (opens in a new window)
- Today (opens in a new window)
- Twirlywoos wins top RTS NW Animation Award 2015 (opens in a new window)
- DHX Media and Ragdoll Productions commissioned for season two of Twirlywoos (opens in a new window)
- Twirlywoos wins prestigious Children’s Award – November 2016 (opens in a new window)
- Twirlywoos wins top RTS North West Award 2017 (opens in a new window)
- Award-winning Ragdoll Productions announce new animated pre-school programme B.O.T. and the BEASTIES (opens in a new window)
- B.O.T. and the Beasties launches on CBeebies on 11th January 2021 at 10:50AM (opens in a new window)
- CAKE to distribute new Ragdoll series B.O.T. and the Beasties (opens in a new window)
- RAGDOLL PRODUCTIONS LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (opens in a new window)
- The Ragdoll Foundation announces new partnership with the University of Sheffield (opens in a new window)
- Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- Ragdoll Productions (opens in a new window)
- The Ragdoll Foundation (opens in a new window)
- About Us (opens in a new window)