BBC to replace light-skinned 'Garden' doll

The BBC will issue a new Upsy Daisy doll for its children's TV show In The Night Garden after receiving complaints about its skin colour.

According to a BBC Worldwide spokesman, the broadcaster has received several complaints about the tie-in doll as its skin is lighter than its TV character counterpart.

The spokesman added that the old doll will not be withdrawn "because most people are happy with it", although a new model with "a darker skin tone" is to be made available from Easter.

A statement from Ragdoll Productions, the company behind the show, said: "The characters are toys, not representations of people. The culture they collectively embody is unique to the garden setting in which they live."

In The Night Garden, which launched on CBeebies in 2007, was created by Teletubbies pair Anne Wood and Andy Davenport.