About
Our Company – Originators and Innovators
Ragdoll Productions is an international award winning independent children’s television production company based in the UK. Running for over 30 years, it has made over 1700 internationally acclaimed programmes delighting generations of children across the globe.
Consistent in the quality and innovation of its programmes, Ragdoll have won numerous awards and inspired millions of young viewers. From the classic 1980s series Rosie and Jim, the 1990s phenomena of the Teletubbies to the 21st century In the Night Garden, Adventures of Abney & Teal and Dipdap. Ragdoll’s newest creation is Twirlywoos launching with the BBC in February 2015.
2013 marked a new chapter in the Ragdoll Story when in September, Ragdoll Worldwide, a joint venture with BBC Worldwide, was acquired by DHX Media, a leading Canadian broadcaster, distributor and producer. DHX Media now own the rights to the early Ragdoll catalogue including Teletubbies and In the Night Garden.
Our Philosophy
Children, their dreams and feelings, their ready enthusiasm, their vulnerability, their essential humanity and their sense of fun… this was the inspiration behind the setting up of Ragdoll. Anne Wood, Founder and Creative Director
Ragdoll respects the rights of children to be themselves, to be taken seriously, to be listened to and to be allowed to build up their own unique picture of the world.
When you figure something out for yourself, you are much more likely to remember it and know how to apply it. Ragdoll carefully creates spaces for children to discover things for themselves without any apparent adult direction or instruction.
In the process of making programmes for children, we believe it is only by observing the natural responses of children themselves that we can understand how our work should proceed. Ragdoll invests in its own network of contacts reaching out to children across families, carers and nursery schools around the world.
Our People
Anne Wood – Founder and Creative Director
Anne came to television from education, via publishing, and could see no reason why Children’s TV should not be of the same quality as a good children’s book. By this time, Anne was already a TV producer of long-standing, having produced several award winning series for Yorkshire TV such as ‘Book Tower’ and ‘Ragdolly Anna’ (inspired by her daughter’s love for a very special ragdoll). She had also been Head of Children’s at TVAM producing ‘Roland Rat’ and ‘Rub-a-Dub-Tub’.
Awards
The Ragdoll Company, its Founder and Programmes are multi award winning, receiving eight BAFTAs and many other accolades. A full list can be downloaded here:
