From 1997 to 2026: the Complete Timeline of the Teletubbies Franchise and Its Legacy
By Alexander Ross
Q1: Were the Teletubbies real human actors or animatronics?
A1: They were real human actors wearing heavy, custom-made suits. The bodies were constructed of foam and faux fur over fiberglass shells, with the actors seeing through small mesh openings in the mouths and controlling external mechanical blinks via radio control teams off camera.
Q2: Where was the real Teletubbyland located, and can you visit it today?
A2: The original set was located on a private farm in Wimpstone, Warwickshire, England. You cannot visit the set today. The landowner dug out the hollow and flooded it in the early 2000s to create a small lake, putting an end to unwanted trespassing from tourists.
Q3: Who was the baby in the sun, and where is she now?
A3: The original Sun Baby was Jess Smith, cast while being weighed at a hospital in Edenbridge, Kent, in 1996. She revealed her identity in 2014 while attending university, occasionally appears in retrospective documentaries, and welcomed her own child in early 2024.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
