Canadian firm DHX Media has acquired Ragdoll Worldwide, owner of the Teletubbies and In The Night Garden, for £17.4m.
The stockmarket-listed DHX, which owns brands including Inspector Gadget, is acquiring the company from BBC Worldwide and investors including Ragdoll founder Anne Wood.
Under the terms of the deal DHX Media has bought 12 series, including 365 episodes of Teletubbies, 52 episodes of Teletubbies Everywhere and 100 episodes of In The Night Garden.
"Teletubbies and In the Night Garden are worldwide phenomena," said Michael Donovan, chief executive of DHX Media. "As a leading supplier to subscription video-on-demand services worldwide, and as an operator of our own SVOD, we are uniquely positioned to continue to develop these evergreen children's properties in exciting new ways".
Ragdoll Worldwide was set up as a joint venture with BBC Worldwide in 2006 with the company, which reported a pre-tax loss in the year to the end of March 2012, put up for sale in January this year.
"Finding the right new home for these beloved children's properties was incredibly important for BBC Worldwide as we have worked hard over the years with Ragdoll to nurture them and build their popularity and commercial success both in the UK and internationally," said Marcus Arthur, managing director of BBC Worldwide, UK and Australia.
BBC Worldwide will retain the broadcast rights for its international CBeebies channels.
Wood and her son Christopher will continue to manage and operate their own company, Ragdoll Productions.
"The sale of Ragdoll Worldwide will procure future growth for Ragdoll Productions and, with the passing of creative control for the future development of our catalogue... we are confident of their continued success for many years to come," she said.
BBC Worldwide and Ragdoll were advised by DC Advisory Partners. Mishcon de Reya provided legal services to DHX Media.
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