Editing Ragdoll Productions

{{Short description|British television production company}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ragdoll Productions (UK) Limited
| logo = Ragdoll logo.png
| logo_size = 
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2000
| former_name = Ragdoll Productions (U.K.) Limited (1985–2000)<br>Ragdoll Video Limited (1991–2000)<ref name="CompaniesHouse">{{Cite web |date=1991-10-15 |title=RAGDOLL PRODUCTIONS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02654376 |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=[[Companies House]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://www.ragdoll.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Ragdoll Productions |language=en-GB}}</ref><br>Ragdoll Limited (2000–2013)<ref name="DHX">{{cite web | url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01907241 | title=DHX WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK }}</ref>
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1984|7|26|df=yes}}
| founder = [[Anne Wood]]
| location_city = [[Bloxham]], [[Oxfordshire]]
| location_country = England
| key_people = Christopher Wood
| parent = 
| area_served = 
| industry = Television production
| products = 
| services = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| owner = Ragdoll Ltd.
| num_employees = 
| divisions = 
| subsid = The Ragdoll Foundation
| homepage = {{URL|https://ragdoll.co.uk}}
| footnotes = <ref name="CompaniesHouse" />
}}

{{Wildbrain evolution}}
'''Ragdoll Productions Limited''', or simply '''Ragdoll''', is a British television production company founded in 1984 by [[Anne Wood]], who had previously worked for [[ITV Yorkshire|Yorkshire Television]] and [[TV-am]]. It is located in [[Bloxham]], [[Oxfordshire]], and has produced a number of [[children's television series|children's programmes]], most notably ''[[Teletubbies]]'', ''[[Pob's Programme]]'', ''[[Rosie and Jim]]'', ''[[Brum (TV series)|Brum]]'', ''[[Boohbah]]'', ''[[Tots TV]]'', and ''[[In the Night Garden...]],'' most of which are now owned by [[WildBrain]].

==History==
Ragdoll Productions was founded on 26 July 1984 by [[Anne Wood]], who produced shows for the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. It was incorporated as '''Ragdoll Productions (U.K.) Limited''' in April 1985 and was originally based in [[Birmingham, England|Birmingham]].<ref name="DHX"/> The company's first show, ''[[Pob's Programme]]'', premiered on [[Channel 4]] later that year. The company was later commissioned by [[Central Independent Television]] to produce ''[[Playbox (1987 TV series)|Playbox]]'', which demonstrated the ability for the company to produce their own characters. In 1989, ''The Magic Mirror'' and ''BOOM!'' marked the company's debut in the animation and live-action markets.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ragdoll.co.uk/our-story/1980s-the-early-years/ | title=1980s – the Early Years }}</ref> The company at first produced puppet-based programmes, and their mascot was originally a female [[rag doll]] that was based on one that belonged to Wood's daughter. The rag doll wore a chequered shirt with matching trousers, and black flat shoes.

In 1992, the company moved their operations to [[Stratford-upon-Avon]] and opened up The Ragdoll Shop.

In the mid-1990s, Ragdoll expanded operations to the [[United States]], and signed a deal with The Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company to sell all their programmes in the market.

In 2000, Ragdoll dropped their rag doll mascot for a more simplistic logo designed by [[Lambie Nairn|Lambie-Nairn]], with the company also adopting a new name of '''Ragdoll Limited''' by that point. During that time, the company started to move away from puppet-based shows (which started with ''[[Teletubbies]]'' in 1997), by making animated cartoons. Ragdoll still produced live-action shows, but would use costumes and animatronics instead of puppets.

In October 2001, Ragdoll parted ways with Itsy Bitsy following a failure to reach an agreement with the company's majority owner, the Handleman Group. Ragdoll then started to sell their programmes on their own from then-on, forming Ragdoll USA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/ragdoll-and-itsy-bitsy-part-company/|title=Ragdoll and Itsy Bitsy part company}}</ref>

In January 2002, ''[[Teletubbies#Teletubbies: Everywhere|Teletubbies: Everywhere]]'', a spin-off of ''[[Teletubbies]]'', was announced to air on [[CBeebies]] within its launch window.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/cbbc-launch-dates-and-new-shows|title = CBBC: Launch dates and new shows}}</ref> On 14 June, a new series titled ''[[Boohbah]]'' was announced and was pre-sold to [[CITV]] and [[GMTV]] for a 2003 delivery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/itvgmtv-greenlight-for-ragdoll|title=ITV/GMTV greenlight for Ragdoll}}</ref> The show later saw an international roll-out.

At MIPTV 2005, Ragdoll announced a new series titled ''Blurrfect'' and that CITV had acquired broadcasting rights for an autumn 2005 delivery.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_blurrfect.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923033515/http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_blurrfect.html | archive-date=23 September 2006 | title=StackPath }}</ref> By September 2005, the series was renamed ''[[Blips (TV series)|Blips]]'', and soon premiered on 29 September 2005 as part of the CITV's autumn schedule.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_blips.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923033619/http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_blips.html | archive-date=23 September 2006 | title=StackPath }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/blips-to-splat-onto-citv-this-autumn|title=Blips to splat onto CiTV this autumn}}</ref> On 13 October, Ragdoll unrevealed two new series that were pre-sold to the BBC: ''[[In the Night Garden...]]'' and ''[[Tronji]]'', for a 2007 delivery.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_bbccommissions.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923033519/http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_bbccommissions.html | archive-date=23 September 2006 | title=StackPath }}</ref> In October 2005, Ragdoll subsidiary The Ragdoll Foundation announced that [[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Five]]'s [[Milkshake!]] block had commissioned a series of six short films titled ''What Makes Me Happy?'', which would air daily from 19 December.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_whatmakesmehappyfive.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923033607/http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_whatmakesmehappyfive.html | archive-date=23 September 2006 | title=StackPath }}</ref>

In September 2006, Ragdoll formed a joint venture with [[BBC Worldwide]] called Ragdoll Worldwide, to sell and license the company's programmes outside of the UK and North America. ''In the Night Garden...'' and ''Tronji'' would be the first two programmes created as part of the venture, while existing programmes were handled by BBC Worldwide, which managed the international broadcast sales and the UK and international licensing of all Ragdoll properties (including ''Blips'', ''Boohbah'', ''[[Brum (TV series)|Brum]]'', ''[[Tots TV]]'', ''[[Rosie and Jim]]'', and ''Open a Door''), with Ragdoll retaining all British broadcast rights. A new subsidiary, Ragdoll USA Inc., part of the new joint venture, would manage Ragdoll's distribution in North America.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_ragdollbbc.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120140507/http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/html/pressrel_ragdollbbc.htm | archive-date=20 November 2007 | title=StackPath }}</ref>

In January 2013, Ragdoll opted to end their agreement with BBC Worldwide and put up Ragdoll Worldwide for sale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jan/29/ragdoll-end-sales-joint-venture-bbc-worldwide |title=Ragdoll puts sales joint venture with BBC Worldwide on the market |publisher=The Guardian (London) |date=29 January 2013 |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref> On 16 September 2013, Canadian studio DHX Media (currently named [[WildBrain]]) purchased the venture from both companies for £17.4 million (or USD$24 million)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/sep/16/teletubbies-owner-bought-canadian-dhx-media |title=Teletubbies owner bought by Canadian firm DHX Media |publisher=The Guardian (London) |date=16 September 2013 |access-date=22 March 2014}}</ref> The deal included the rights to most of Ragdoll's programming produced from 1990 to 2012. The company also changed to its current name of '''Ragdoll Productions (UK) Limited''', with "Productions" added back to the name after 13 years.

In 2015, Ragdoll produced the live-action/stop-motion series ''Twirlywoos'' with DHX, making it the first and only co-production between the companies.

In 2018, the company co-produced a short film with [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney UK]] for the Hope Works initiative, titled ''What Shall We Do With The Angry Monster?''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thesoundboutique.com/blog/soundcelebration-day-2-what-shall-we-do-with-the-angry-monster | title=#SoundCelebration Day 2: What Shall We do with the Angry Monster? }}</ref>

In 2021, Ragdoll formed a deal with British distribution company [[Cake Entertainment]] for them to distribute their new series, ''B.O.T. and the Beasties'', for [[CBeebies]]. On 29 March 2021, the company was relocated to [[Shenington]], with Anne Wood retiring from the company on 14 December, and leaving her son Christopher as director of the studio.

On 13 June 2024, Ragdoll would once again move their operations, this time to [[Bloxham]], another small town in Oxfordshire.

== Pre-Ragdoll productions ==
The following are some of productions made by Anne Wood before Ragdoll was founded, accompanied by a brief description and vital statistics:

* ''Puzzle Party'' - first broadcast in 1977. Hosted by [[Gyles Brandreth]] and featuring characters Gnigel and Gnu, the show was one of Anne Wood's earliest TV shows for the BBC.
* ''[[The Book Tower]]'' - first broadcast in 1979, hosted by [[Tom Baker]] and [[Stephen Moore (actor)|Stephen Moore]].
* ''[[Ragdolly Anna]]'' - first broadcast in 1982, based on the children's books by Jean Kenward.
* ''[[Roland Rat]]'' - first broadcast in 1983.

Ragdoll's programmes produced between 1990 and 2017 (excluding ''Pob's Programme'', ''Playbox'', ''BOOM!'' and ''[[Storytime (TV programme)|Storytime]]'') are currently owned by [[WildBrain]] (formerly known as DHX Media), the company no longer owns the rights of any of their shows.

=== Ragdoll Productions ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title
! Year(s)
! Network
! Notes/Sources
|-
| ''[[Pob's Programme]]'' || 1985–1990 || [[Channel 4]] || Currently owned by [[Channel Four Television Corporation]]
|-
| ''[[Playbox (1987 TV series)|Playbox]]'' || 1987–1992 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] ([[ITV Central|Central]]) || Currently owned by [[ITV Studios]]
|-
| ''The Magic Mirror'' || 1989 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] || Co-production for [[Kellogg's|The Kellogg Company]]<br>Ragdoll's first animated production
|-
| ''BOOM!'' || 1990–1991 || [[Channel 4]] || Ragdoll's first non-puppet live-action production<br>Currently owned by Channel Four Television Corporation
|-
| ''[[Rosie and Jim]]'' || 1990-2000 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] ([[ITV Central|Central]]) || Oldest Ragdoll series to be owned by [[WildBrain]]
|-
| ''[[Brum (TV series)|Brum]]'' || 1991, 1994<br>2001–2002 || [[BBC One]] ([[CBBC|Children's BBC/CBBC]])<br>[[CBeebies]] ||
|-
| ''[[Tots TV]]'' || 1993–1998 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] ([[ITV Central|Central]]) || Co-produced with [[Carlton Television]] in later seasons<br>Rights co-owned with [[ITV Studios]]
|-
| ''Open a Door'' || 1994–2003 || [[BBC Two]] ([[CBBC|Children's BBC/CBBC]])<br>[[CBeebies]] || An international short film series co-produced with other companies.
|-
| ''[[Storytime (TV programme)|Storytime]]'' || 1995–1997 || [[BBC Two]] || Series 5-6 only
|-
| ''[[Teletubbies]]'' || 1997–2001 || [[BBC Two]] ([[CBBC|Children's BBC/CBBC]]) || Original series, revivals/reboots are produced by [[WildBrain|DHX Media]].
|-
| ''[[Badjelly the Witch]]'' || 2000 || [[BBC One]] || Television special/movie<br>Co-produced with Norma Farnes Management
|-
| ''[[Teletubbies|Teletubbies Everywhere]]'' || 2002 || [[CBeebies]] || Short form series
|-
| ''[[Boohbah]]''  || 2003–2006 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] ([[CITV]] and [[GMTV]]) ||Co-produced with GMTV
|-
| ''[[Blips (TV series)|Blips]]'' || 2005–2006 || [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] ([[CITV]]) ||Co-produced with CITV
|-
| ''What Makes Me Happy'' || 2005 || [[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Five]] ([[Milkshake!]]) || Co-produced with The Ragdoll Foundation<br>Series of six short films
|-
| ''Twirlywoos'' || 2015–2017 || [[CBeebies]] || Co-produced with [[WildBrain|DHX Media]]
|-
| ''What Shall We Do With The Angry Monster?'' || 2018 || [[YouTube]] || Short film<br>Co-produced for [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney UK]]
|-
| ''B.O.T. and the Beasties'' || 2021 || [[CBeebies]] || Short form series<br>Distributed by [[Cake Entertainment]]
|}

=== Ragdoll Worldwide ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title
! Year(s)
! Network
! Notes/Sources
|-
| ''[[In the Night Garden...]]'' || 2007–2009 || [[CBeebies]]/[[BBC Two]]||
|-
| ''[[Tronji]]'' || 2009–2010 || [[CBBC]]||
|-
| ''[[Dipdap]]'' || 2011 || [[CBeebies]] || Short form series<br>
|-
| ''[[The Adventures of Abney & Teal]]'' || 2011–2012 || [[CBeebies]] ||
|}

== The Ragdoll Shop ==
'''The Ragdoll Shop''' in [[Stratford-upon-Avon]], [[Warwickshire]], was a shop that consisted of themed play areas based on Ragdoll properties and an area where merchandise was sold. The shop first opened in 1992, and traded until 2005, because of expansion limits and failure to find a new larger venue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/our-story/the-ragdoll-shop/|title = StackPath}}</ref>

The building that formerly housed the shop is now a optometrist's practice named Dr. C.P. Grey's. The picture of Rosie and Jim waving can still be seen in the black window at the top of the building.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/ Ragdoll website]
*[http://www.ragdoll.co.uk/index.php/our-story/#1 History of Ragdoll]

{{Ragdoll Productions}}
{{Animation industry in the United Kingdom}}
{{WildBrain}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:WildBrain]]
[[Category:British animation studios]]
[[Category:British brands]]
[[Category:Television production companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Mass media in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 1984]]
[[Category:Companies based in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Animation studio stubs]]