What Ever Happened To The Teletubbies?

#1 Oh, Teletubbies. What can one say?

When Teletubbies debuted on the BBC in March 1997, it almost immediately polarized viewers. Some thought the show was a work of genius -- an unprecedented effort to create educational content for one-year-olds; others found the plot repetitive and the characters horrifying ("These spacemen will frighten our children," one concerned German toldThe Independent).

But there was one thing everybody could agreed on: The series was incredibly strange.

Four rotund, baby-faced, asexual aliens -- Po, Laa-Laa, Dipsy, and Tinky Winky -- spent the vast majority of each 25-minute episode waddling about in a pristine country landscape, speaking in high-pitched gibberish and interacting with talking flowers. On occasion, they'd slide down into the "Tubbytronic Superdome" (a high-tech underground cavern) and carouse with an anthropomorphic vacuum cleaner. Other times, they'd awkwardly slurp on tubs of pink custard while reveling in their mutual buffoonery. Fitted with interactive screens on their stomachs and antenna-like communication devices, the characters would often broadcast the repetitive, mundane lives of human children, then applaud their efforts enthusiastically, as if they'd just cracked some age-old mathematical code.

#2 Like any show, there was some interesting behind the scenes quirks.

For example, Teletubbyland was inhabited by a number of rabbits. But because the Teletubby costumes were so big, to keep everything looking to scale, the animals used needed to be a species of giant rabbit. They also apparently spent much of their time on set mating with each other in the background, which meant lots of shots had to be re-filmed.

The original Tinky Winky, Dave Thompson, left after the first run of episodes due to "creative differences", leading to there being three Tinky Winkys. It has been claimed that the production company, Ragdoll, felt he was "misinterpreting" the role by implying Tinky Winky was gay.

In fact, that started a giant controversy for the asexual, technological babies that lasted until the show ended in 2001. Speaking of the end, it was hard to move on for some of the actors. The set was even flooded and turned into a pond, because the owner was tired of tubby fans trespassing.

#5 Tinky Winky the first- Dave Thompson

When a casting call for Teletubbies went out in the Spring of 1996, more than 600 actors auditioned for the role of Tinky Winky. Among the hopefuls was Dave Thompson, an English stand-up comedian and all-around "nutcase."

Thompson's rendition of Tinky Winky initially dazzled the show's director. For the actor, it was a "dream Summer" -- full of praise, pats on the back, and positive encouragement. Then, things began to turn sour.

When it came to narrating the character's giggles and squeals in the studio, Thompson's voice was suddenly "too high-pitched;" a voice-over actor was swiftly brought in to do a "proper job," giving the actor little chance to correct his tone. As production wrapped up for the first season, Thompson received a letter, seemingly out of the blue: "Your interpretation of the role of Tinky Winky" has not been accepted." With that, he was terminated from the show's cast before it even aired.

Thompson eventually returned to comedy and became known for his "naked balloon dancing" -- particularly the routines he acted out in public parks in Bath, Somerset. He also penned a book, "The Sex Life of a Comedian," which tells a familiar story: A Stand-up comic gets a job wearing a furry costume on a kids' television show and then gets fired.

#3 Enter the voice actor for Tinky Winky - Mark Heenehan

Mark is a stage-actor and voice-over artist who has also appeared in the film ‘Thunderpants'. He also seems to have gone back to the stage, his latest role being in "JERSEY BOYS."

#4 The last Tinky Winky, Simon Shelton.

He is a trained ballet dancer and choreographer and admitted he was initially reluctant to take on the role that led to him being sent fan mail from adults as well as children and feeling like a member of The Beatles.

In a 2007 interview, he put one question to rest

"People always ask me if Tinky Winky is gay. But the character is supposed to be a three-year-old so the question is really quite silly.”"

#6 Pui Fan Lee as Po!

Actress Pui Fan Lee, 40, played the cute, red Po. When the show ended, the British-Chinese actress moved on to hosting CBeebies, the BBC's channel for children aged six and under. Today, she presents Show Me, Show Me, which is aimed at pre-school children.

One can't forget her other amazing roles, Pui was also an actress who appeared in ‘Chef!', ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason' (she was a cell-mate in Thailand) and she played a lesbian in the BBC series ‘Metrosexuality'. Of course the lesbian role had it's own haters, but people often forget that an actor is.... acting!

She'll be familiar to a younger generation as the main presenter on CBeebies, which she did until 2007.

#7 Dancer Nikky Smedley got to be Laa-Laa.

"While the Teletubbies always looked like they were having a jolly old time, life in the suit was difficult," Nikky revealed. The actors worked 11-hour days and the suits were heavy and hot. Since the show's conclusion, Nikky's contributed to children's TV show Boohbah and choreographed another of the BBC's hit children shows, In the Night Garden. She also works as a professional children's storyteller and tours schools.

#8 Dipsy, the 'coolest' Teletubby, John Simmit.

Bright green Dipsy, the 'coolest' Teletubby, who was fond of hats was played by John Simmit, 49, who was and still is a stand-up comedian.

'I was a stand-up before I became Dipsy so I carried on doing that when the series came to an end five years ago,' he said at the show's ten-year anniversary celebrations. 'The stand-up circuit is pretty close-knit so people got to know that I was Dipsy - but I never mentioned it on stage.'

On stage sardonic comedian John Simmit is smart and thoughtful, in big contrast to his best-known role, playing ‘Dipsy', coolest of the Teletubbies in BBC TV's international hit series.

Within 18 months of his stand-up comedy debut, British comedy's only ‘Cuban-Jamaican-Brummie' was being touted by trendspotting magazine ‘The Face' as it's comedian to watch.

A very strong television stand-up debut, on BBC 2's multicultural sketch show The Real McCoy, saw John's material quoted in 2 national papers, The Sun & The Sunday Mirror.

Since then John's other TV appearances include: BBC 2's Blouse & Skirt, Channel 5's Club Class, Carlton TV's Drumbeat, BBC TV's Malai Monologues , Channel 5's The Gadget Show, Dutch TV'sRaymann Is Late and Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz of the 90s. On the radio airwaves, he's featured on Radio 1's The Guest List and Radio 5's The Way Out.

In the UK John makes regular appearances at major UK theatres on Upfront Comedy bills, at venues such as Nottingham Playhouse, West Yorkshire Playhouse, and Hackney Empire; and is a regular face on the UK's Jongleurs comedy circuit.

Internationally he has received a standing ovation at Amsterdam's Nieuwe De La Mar Theatre; headlined in Bahrain, & played the New York Fringe Festival as part of Stand Up Black Britain (alongside Gina Yashere & Curtis Walker.

From boxers as role models to e-mail abuse, John's musings leave audiences laughing and him confused.