The first toys based on Woolly and Tig will hit shelves in July 2013.
And master toy licensee Golden Bear says the full launch will happen in autumn/winter.
But the toys are so sought after that parents have already resorted to making their own.
Custom soft plush toys are currently selling for as much as £30 on eBay, with many being billed as Christmas gifts. Several sellers on the online auction website are mums who initially made the toys for their own children.
Toy company Golden Bear struck a three-year deal with Brands With Influence for CBeebies’ hit pre-school TV show Woolly and Tig, and will produce animated plush, plastic and electronic toys.
“People have been making their own Woolly toys, which is always a good sign that demand for Woolly is growing and he is becoming a firm favourite,” Golden Bear’s marketing and product development director Christine Nicholls (pictured) told ToyNews.
eBay user Nannieneelie said: “My grandson loves Woolly so I made one for him. My daughter posted it on Facebook and I was inundated with people wanting one. I can’t make them fast enough.”
Nicholls added: “Woolly and Tig is one thing I saw at Brand Licensing Europe that made me think, ‘We’ve got to get that’.
“It’s perfect for kids, it looks so real and it’s a very clever animation.”
