‘Teletubbies’ Reboot in the Works at Netflix

Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po will soon be heading back to TV screens. Two decades after the hit British children’s series ended its original four-year run, the beloved group of colored characters are heading back over the hills and far away to play, with Netflix on Wednesday greenlighting a Teletubbies reboot.

Announced as part of the streamer’s fall preschool slate, Netflix’s Teletubbies reboot invites subscribers to “join colorful friends Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po on wonder-filled adventures as they learn and grow in this 21st century refresh of the beloved preschool series,” per the official synopsis. Each of the original animated preschool series‘ 26 12-minute-long episodes, narrated by Emmy-nominee Tituss Burgess and featuring a new Sun Baby, includes new, original “Tummy Tales” songs. From Andrew Davenport, co-creator of the original series, and set to premiere on Monday, Nov. 14, the series will star Doctor Who’s Jeremiah Krage as Tinky Winky, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’s Nick Kellington as Dipsy, Rebecca Hyland as Laa-Laa, and Wonder Woman 1984 stuntwoman Rachelle Beinart as Po.

This will mark just the latest edition of Teletubbies, originated on the BBC in 1997 and first aired in the United States on PBS a year later. The series ran for a total of four years before concluding in 2001. More than a decade later, the series was rebooted in 2014, airing on CBeebies in the United Kingdom and on the Nick Jr. Channel in the United States. Re-runs of the original 1997-2001 series also continue to be shown on television channels worldwide, and the original series returned to live TV in the US on Pluto TV on 1 May 2019, though the episodes are shown in the UK format instead of the US format.

The upcoming Teletubbies reboot is just one of several new series set to join the Netflix streaming library as part of its preschool slate. On Wednesday, the streamer also ordered Princess Power, an animated series based on the No.1 New York Times Bestselling book series Princesses Wear Pants by Today anchor Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim, as well as the previously announced Spirit Rangers, inspired by stories from Native American tribes and landscapes of American national parks. Returning series on the lineup include CoComelon, Gabby’s Dollhouse, and Waffles + Mochi. The streamer’s upcoming Teletubbies reboot premieres Monday, Nov. 14.