Teletubbies is a children’s television series from the BBC, designed for preschool audiences, and produced by Ragdoll Productions between March 31, 1997, and January 5, 2001. The show was the brainchild of Ragdoll’s creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who penned all 365 episodes. Tim Whitnall served as the original narrator. The series made its way to the United States, airing on the Public Broadcasting Service from April 6, 1998, until June 19, 2005, with reruns continuing until August 29, 2008, when it was removed from the lineup alongside Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Boohbah. Production ceased in 2002, with the announcement that no new episodes would be created, the final episode having aired on January 5, 2001. Nevertheless, the series had produced enough episodes to cover an entire year.

Teletubbies quickly gained acclaim and commercial success both in the UK and internationally, earning a BAFTA award in 1998. Its spin-off, Teletubbies Everywhere, won the “Best Pre-school Live Action Series” at the 2002 Children’s BAFTA Awards.

While the show was primarily intended for children aged one to four, it also garnered a significant cult following among older viewers, particularly university and college students. The vibrant colors, unique designs, repetitive non-verbal communication, ritualistic structure, and occasional physical comedy were seen by some as having a psychedelic appeal, which sparked controversy. Some critics argued that the show lacked educational content.