Teletubbies Visit American Pavilion at the World Expo

Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po said "Eh-oh" to the USA today when the Teletubbies made a very special visit to the American Pavilion at the World Expo in Milan, Italy.

2015 marks the return of the preschool global phenomenon, nearly twenty years after they first appeared on television screens in 120 countries. The multiple award-winning children's TV show has been reinvigorated for a modern audience and is set to delight a whole new generation of children around the world.

Teletubbies will return to US screens on Nickelodeon in 2016 and today's appearance gave the new generation of young fans a taste of what is to come.

Expo Milano 2015 is the six-month global exhibition that is showcasing the creativity and innovation of over 140 participating countries and Teletubbies is being heralded by the British government's GREAT Britain campaign as a shining example of the very best in creativity and an entertainment export to be proud of.

Nicola Bolton, Managing Director of UK Trade and Investment, said: "The UK currently has the world's second largest independent television production sector creating a host of global UK children's exports including Teletubbies and In the Night Garden.

It's great to see the return of this popular household name. Teletubbies is a huge British success and one of many UK iconic children's programmes shared around the world.

It comes from a rich seam of UK creative talent which contributes to the strong reputation of the UK as a creative nation and trading partner. The creative sector makes up around 8% of all UK exports, and also shapes the cultural identity of our country."

Produced by award-winning UK production company Darrall Macqueen on behalf of DHX Media, a key player internationally in the creation of content for families and children, the return of Teletubbies is a leading example of British innovation and creativity at its very best that is welcomed by audiences around the world.

Steven DeNure, President, DHX Media, said: "We are incredibly proud to be bringing back this global phenomenon and are delighted that this British creative collaboration is being embraced by so many nationalities and cultures around the world.

Filmed at Twickenham Studios in the UK, Teletubbies brings together some of the finest creative talents in the country, from Propshop who have created many of the unique props to Lola who have handled post production. The original series was translated into 45 languages and watched by over 1 billion children in 120 countries and we are delighted that the USA is among those welcoming the Teletubbies into their culture once again."

Global phenomenonTeletubbiesfirst launched in March 1997 and became one of the most successful international children's brands of all time. It has reached more than 1 billion children to date and the original episodes have aired in more than 120 territories in 45 different languages.It was the very first western pre-school property to air on China's CCTV reaching an audience of 300 million children. Its enduring resonance with children is further underscored by the brand's postings on Youtube which garner more than 75 million views per month.

UK creativity inspires the world, producing a stream of individuals and creative teams that are hugely influential in global media, entertainment and the arts. The UK television production sector is one of the world's largest providers of original content and is highly successful overseas. The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the creative industries was 76.9 billion in 2012/13, accounting for 5 percent of the UK economy and generating over 8.8 million an hour.