Teletubbies

***Teletubbies*** is a British children's television series created by Ragdoll Productions' Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for BBC. The programme focuses on four multi-coloured creatures known as "Teletubbies", named after the television screens implanted in their abdomens. Recognised throughout popular culture for the uniquely shaped antenna protruding from the head of each character, the Teletubbies communicate through gibberish and were designed to bear resemblance to toddlers.

The series rapidly became a commercial success in Britain and abroad. It won multiple BAFTA awards and was nominated for two Daytime Emmys throughout its run. A single based on the show's theme song reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1997 and remained in the Top 75 for 32 weeks, selling over a million copies. By October 2000, the franchise generated over £1 billion ($1.61 billion) in merchandise sales.

Though the original run ended in 2001, sixty new episodes were ordered in 2014. They are currently aired on CBeebies in the United Kingdom and on Nick Jr. in the United States. Re-runs of the original 1997–2001 series continue to be shown on relevant television channels worldwide.

The original series returned to live TV in the US on Pluto TV on 1 May 2019 but the episodes are shown in the UK format instead of the US which is where the Pluto TV service is based in. The same error occurred with the series' availability on the NOGGIN app since 25 May 2016.

## Plot

The programme takes place in a grassy, floral landscape populated by rabbits with bird calls audible in the background. The main shelter of the four Teletubbies is an earth house known as the "Tubbytronic Superdome" implanted in the ground and accessed through a hole at the top or an especially large semicircular door at the dome's foot. The Teletubbies co-exist with a number of strange contraptions such as the Noo-noo, the group's anthropomorphic blue vacuum cleaner, and the Voice Trumpets. The show's colourful, psychedelic setting was designed specifically to appeal to the attention spans of infants and unlock different sections of the mind while also educating young children of transitions that can be expected in life.

An assortment of rituals are performed throughout the course of every episode, such as the playful interactions between the Teletubbies and the Voice Trumpets, mishaps caused by the Noo-noo, the footage of children displayed on the screens in the Teletubbies' stomachs, and the magical event that occurs once per episode. The event differs each time; it is often caused inexplicably and is frequently strange yet whimsical. Each episode is closed by the Voice Trumpets and the narrator. The disappointed, reluctant, but eventually obedient Teletubbies bid farewell to the viewer as they go back to the Tubbytronic Superdome while the Sun Baby sets.

## Characters

### Main characters

* **Tinky Winky** (played by Dave Thompson and Simon Shelton in the original series and by Jeremiah Krage in the revival series) is the first Teletubby, as well as the largest and oldest of the group. He is covered in purple terrycloth and has a triangular antenna on his head. He often carries a red bag.
* **Dipsy** (played by John Simmit in the original series and by Nick Kellington in the revival series) is the second Teletubby. He is green and named after his antenna, which resembles a dipstick. Dipsy is the most stubborn of the Teletubbies, and will occasionally refuse to go along with the others' group opinion. His face is notably darker than the rest of the Teletubbies, and the creators have stated that he is black.
* **Laa-Laa** (played by Nikky Smedley in the original series and by Rebecca Hyland in the revival series) is the third Teletubby. She is yellow and has a curly antenna. Laa-Laa is very sweet, likes to sing and dance, and is often shown looking out for the other Teletubbies. Her favourite toy is an orange rubber ball.
* **Po** (played by Pui Fan Lee in the original series and by Rachelle Beinart in the revival series) is the fourth Teletubby, as well as the shortest and youngest. She is red and has an antenna shaped like a stick used for blowing soap bubbles. Po normally speaks in a soft voice and has been stated by the show's creators to be Cantonese.

### Supporting characters

* The **Noo-noo** (operated by Mark Dean in the original series and Victoria Jane and Olly Taylor in the revival series) is a sentient vacuum cleaner who acts as both the Teletubbies' guardian and housekeeper. He hardly ever ventures outside the Tubbytronic Superdome, instead remaining indoors and constantly cleaning with his sucker-like nose. He communicates through a series of slurping and sucking noises. He occasionally misbehaves and sucks up anything from tubby toast to blankets, which prompts the Teletubbies to call him "Naughty Noo-noo" and give chase.
* The **Voice Trumpets** (voiced by Eric Sykes, Toyah Wilcox, John Simmit, Gary Stevenson, Alex Hogg, Alex Pascall, Tim Whitnall and Rudolph Walker in the original series, Sandra Dickinson, Toni Barry and John Schwab used in the US series from PBS, and Fearne Cotton, Jim Broadbent, Antonia Thomas, Teresa Gallagher, David Walliams and Rochelle Humes in the revival series) are several devices resembling periscopes that rise from the ground and interact with the Teletubbies, often engaging in games with them and serving as supervisors. They are the only residents of Teletubbyland who speak in complete sentences.
* The **Sun Baby** (played by Jess Smith in the original series and Berry (surname unknown) in the revival series) appears at the beginning and end of each episode. She acts as a wake-up call for the Teletubbies.
* Numerous **rabbits** are found throughout Teletubbyland, and are depicted by several Flemish Giant rabbits. The Teletubbies enjoy watching them hop and play. The rabbits are the only type of Earth animal found in the land, and take residence in rabbit holes and bushes.
* The **Tubby Phone** (voiced by Jane Horrocks) is a character in the revival series. Tubby Phone has the ability to make "Tubby Phone dance" and Teletubbies dance after they pushed the button on the phone. At one point, it has ability to make Tubby photos.
* The **Tiddlytubbies** (voiced by Teresa Gallagher) are baby Teletubbies appearing in the revival series. Their names are Mi-Mi, Daa Daa, Baa, Ping, RuRu, Nin, Duggle Dee and Umby Pumby. The Tiddlytubbies would get their own spin-off animated web series in 2018.

## Release

On 31 March 1997, the first episode of *Teletubbies* aired on BBC2 on the CBBC programming block. It filled a timeslot previously held by *Playdays*. This schedule change initially received backlash from parents, but the show was not moved. The programme's unconventional format quickly received attention from the media, and it was attracting two million viewers per episode by August. In February 1998, *The Sydney Morning Herald* noted that it had "reached cult status" in less than a year on the air.

*Teletubbies* has been aired in over 120 countries in 45 different languages. In the United States, the series airs on Nickelodeon as part of the Nick Jr. block. Episodes are also released through the Nick Jr. mobile application and on-demand services. The original series is available as part of the Noggin subscription service in North America. It aired on PBS Kids in the United States from 6 April 1998 to 29 August 2008. BBC Worldwide channels carry the series in most of Africa, Asia and Poland. A Spanish dub airs on Clan in Spain. In Greece, the series airs on Nickelodeon Greece. NPO Zappelin carries the show in the Netherlands and MTVA airs it in Hungary. In Australia and New Zealand, the series airs on CBeebies Australia and ABC Kids. JimJam's Benelux feed airs the series and Ultra airs it in Serbia. *Teletubbies* also airs on SIC in Portugal and e-Junior in the Middle East.

## Production

The show was created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport after the BBC had requested their pitch for a show aimed at preschoolers. Inspired by Davenport's interest in astronauts and specifically Apollo 11, the first Moon landing, as well as their concern about "how children were reacting to the increasingly technological environment of the late 1990s", the two put together a pitch which the BBC picked up.

Finding a suitable shooting location was a challenge as they wanted to film the production outside but couldn't find a suitable location "with a suitable bowl-like dip". They ended up filming on a farm in Wimpstone, Warwickshire where they had previously shot *Tots TV*. Due to problems with a previous television show shooting at the location, the shooting was protested by the locals although they calmed down after being assured that "it was a low-key children's programme and no one would be aware of the filming". After the show took off, though, its popularity caused the land to be flooded by the press. According to Davenport, the press was particularly interested in getting photos of the actors in their Teletubby costumes without their heads on. Eventually the team took measures to secure their privacy including blindfolding visitors coming to the set as well as creating a tent for the actors to change in secret.