# Teletubbies

> Teletubbies drew adult fans; press reported about one million dolls sold by Christmas.

- Owner: Ragdoll Productions / BBC (original series); rights acquired by DHX Media in 2013
- Kind: Series
- Sector: Entertainment
- Seed date: 1997-03-31
- Milestone date: Week of Dec 13, 1997
- Date basis: Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 38 (Niche, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Platform jump, Press loop, Controversy, Identity badge, Sell-out loop

## Summary

The BBC series reached students and clubbers, then spread into toys and music. Shops rationed dolls before a paid US expansion, and Falwell's criticism drew further coverage.

## Timeline

- Jan 1997 — Toy manufacturers (Retail) — Toy makers displayed Teletubbies at the January toy fair.
- 1997-03-31 — BBC Two / Ragdoll Productions (TV) — BBC Two first broadcast Teletubbies.
- 1997-05-21 — The Guardian (Press) — The Guardian covered parents' complaints about the programme.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/teletubbies

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Teletubbies.” Case HIS-01591. Spread Score v1.3: 38/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01591