Teletubbies first launched in 1997

Nickelodeon in the US has taken exclusive local broadcast rights to the forthcoming second season of the rebooted UK kids’ property Teletubbies from DHX Media.

Nick Jr, the Viacom-owned broadcaster’s channel for preschool kids, will begin airing the 30×30′ season later this year following the deal with the Canadian firm.

The series was commissioned by CBeebies in the UK and has been picked up by 23 broadcasters worldwide to date, as well as Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

The rights to Teletubbies were picked up by DHX Media as part of its US$27.7m acquisition of owner Ragdoll Worldwide in 2013.

Produced by DHX and UK prodco Darrall Macqueen, the show features a CGI-enhanced look, while recent additions to the voice cast include author, comedian, actor and presenter David Walliams and girl band star turned TV presenter Rochelle Humes.

Teletubbies launched on the BBC in the UK in March 1997. It went on to become one of the most successful global children’s brands of all time, with the original episodes airing in more than 120 territories in 45 different languages.

“The new Teletubbies series is winning fans worldwide, and the pickup of another season in the US points to the enduring appeal of this global brand,” said Josh Scherba, senior VP, distribution, DHX Media.