Latest news with #TinkyWinky
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Tragic death of Teletubbies star Tinky Winky as actor found in unusual circumstances
Simon Barnes was found dead in the street after moving across the country in search of a new life. An actor who starred as Tinky Winky in the hit children's TV show Teletubbies was found dead in tragic circumstances - just after moving across the country for a fresh start in life. Trained dancer and choreographer Simon Shelton Barnes was bidding to turn his life around after struggling with alcohol and turned his back on London. He moved to the Wirral, nearly 200 miles away from his previous home in Bedfordshire, hoping the distance between the areas would help him to move on. But within weeks, he was found dead on a street in Liverpool. Close pal Jane Rees reportedly said that Simon had been struggling living away from his three kids, who were the centre of his life. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. The Mirror reports his flatmate Judith said at the time about his tragic death, "I'm very floored at losing him, he was just the best company." An inquest found that he had died from hypothermia after going on a night out in January 2018. TV stars Emily Atak and Robert Dawes were family members. He had a "medical history of alcohol dependence" and both of them made devastating tributes to the actor after his death. Robert said, "It's been a very tough week and we are all trying to look after the family as best we can." Emily movingly paid tribute to her "wonderful uncle" by saying he was "the kindest and most talented man you could ever wish to meet," adding that he was "loved by all who knew him, and will be forever". Simon previously said about his major role as Tinky Winky, "We used to receive a lot of fan mail from kind and parents, I suppose we were a bit like The Beatles or Take That of children's television." Tinky Winky's orientation was also a question levied at Simon over the years. "People always ask me if Tinky Winky is gay," he said. "But the character is supposed to be a three-year-old so the question is really quite silly." The legacy of the characters Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa, and Po was so strong that the show was rebooted in 2014 by CBeebies, due to the popularity of the original first five seasons that ran from 1997 and 2001.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Teletubbies' Tinky Winky star's tragic death after being found in unusual circumstances
The actor who played Tinky Winky in the beloved children's TV show, Simon Shelton Barnes, died in heartbreaking circumstances back in 2018, aged only 52 years old Ever since it first aired, children's TV show Teletubbies has been a firm favourite with kids throughout the country. The legacy of the characters Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa, and Po was so strong that the show was rebooted in 2014 by CBeebies, due to the popularity of the original first five seasons that ran from 1997 and 2001. But the hit show was suddenly marred by heartbreak in 2018, when one of the actors who held the role of Tinky Winky in the first run of the show tragically died. Simon Shelton Barnes had just moved to the Wirral, nearly 200 miles away from his previous home in Bedfordshire, looking for a fresh start. But within weeks, he was found dead on a street in Liverpool. The trained dancer and choreographer reportedly had struggles with alcohol and had hoped that this big move to the other side of the country would get him away from some of the distractions he had found rife living near London. Close pal Jane Rees reportedly said that Simon had been struggling living away from his three kids, who were the centre of his life. And Stephen's flatmate Judith said at the time about his tragic death, "I'm very floored at losing him, he was just the best company." An inquest found that Stephen had died from hypothermia after going on a night out in January 2018. He was found with a "high concentration of alcohol" and froze to death on the wintery streets on 17 January, with the coroner ruling it was likely a combination of the alcohol in his system and the 3C temperature that had caused him to tragically lose his life aged just 52 years old. He was discovered "at the Port of Liverpool Building in a well between the building and street," just after 7 am. His former Teletubbies co-star, John Summit, paid tribute to him after the heartbreaking news broke, with the actor who played Dipsy writing on social media, "What a week! RIP Simon Shelton aka Tinky Winky: remembering the many good times. Rest easy." TV stars Emily Atak and Robert Dawes were family members of Stephen's - who had a "medical history of alcohol dependence" and both of them made devastating tributes to the actor after his death. Robert said, "It's been a very tough week and we are all trying to look after the family as best we can." Emily movingly paid tribute to her "wonderful uncle" by saying he was "the kindest and most talented man you could ever wish to meet," adding that he was "loved by all who knew him, and will be forever". Simon previously said about his major role as Tinky Winky, "We used to receive a lot of fan mail from kind and parents, I suppose we were a bit like The Beatles or Take That of children's television." Tinky Winky's orientation was also a question levied at Simon over the years. "People always ask me if Tinky Winky is gay," he said. "But the character is supposed to be a three-year-old so the question is really quite silly."
Edinburgh Live
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
BBC Teletubbies stars' lives - tragic death, eyebrow raising scene and alcoholism
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info We all have memories of those four oversized, extraterrestrial-like figures scampering across our TV screens stirring up shenanigans when we were kids. The Teletubbies are arguably among the UK's most iconic children's TV series, having first appeared in 1997. Their nonsensical chatter and distinctive antennas sprouting from their scalps render them unforgettable. Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po composed the quartet of Teletubbies; under the watchful eyes of the Sun Baby and the Voice Trumpets, they spread giggles and mirth to viewers young and old. Notorious for stirring controversy, once an episode even got axed for being a bit too risqué. Original broadcasts spanned from 1997 to 2001 on BBC, and there was also a revival from 2015 to 2018. Come November 2022, Netflix orchestrated a grand comeback. But ever wonder what became of the original performers beneath those vivid suits?, reports the Mirror. Tinky Winky. (Image: BBC/Teletubbies Production LTD) Tinky Winky, the biggest and eldest of the bunch, was portrayed by a trio: Dave Thompson, Simon Shelton, and Jeremiah Krage. Dave was the initial actor behind the purple behemoth but departed after controversy questioning Tinky Winky's sexual orientation bubbled up. American conservative preacher Jerry Falwell once infamously criticised the character, decrying: "Tinky Winky is purple, the gay pride colour, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle: the gay pride symbol." The official reason given for his exit was "creative differences", but reports later surfaced that the production company behind the show believed the actor had wrongly suggested Tinky Winky had a homosexual orientation. "I am proud of my work for them. I was always the one to test out the limitations of the costume. I was the first to fall off my chair and roll over. I took all the risks," Dave commented on his time with the show. Post-departure, Dave ventured into standup comedy and in 2014, he performed with the Naked Balloon dance troupe. Following Dave's exit, Simon, a ballet dancer and choreographer by trade, stepped into the Teletubbies' world as the show's fame soared both in the UK and across the pond. "We used to receive a lot of fan mail from kind and parents, I suppose we were a bit like The Beatles or Take That of children's television," Simon recalled. Simon also addressed the speculation surrounding Tinky Winky's sexual orientation. "People always ask me if Tinky Winky is gay," he remarked. "But the character is supposed to be a three-year-old so the question is really quite silly." In a sad turn of events, Simon passed away due to hypothermia in Liverpool during January 2018 at the young age of 52. He was found with a high level of alcohol in his system and was known to have struggled with alcohol issues. Dipsy. Dipsy, often dubbed the coolest of the Teletubbies, was portrayed by stand-up comedian John Simmit. Delving into his influence on the character, John shared: "Dipsy would say, 'Papa Come Papa Come To Po', which was actually my take on a classic reggae rhythm track called The Whip. "And I'd slip in Jamaican dance moves, a Bogle there and a Tatty here. People spotted my little wink to my culture and I'm proud of that." John never shied away from discussing the gruelling and sweaty nature of working inside the voluminous costume. "We had to wear really ugly underwear like those old Western long johns, which was essentially a onesie, but it was so it could absorb the sweat," he revealed. "When we were out of costume, you'd have to turn your face the other way and speak to us at a distance because we were reeking and so sweaty you could wring us out. Huge props to our dressers for putting up with us!". After the show wrapped up its four-year run, John returned to his roots as a comic and toured across the country. He once admitted that he has never disclosed on stage that he was the man behind Dipsy, although he does tweet about his time on the show and responds to fans' messages. "The stand-up circuit is pretty close-knit so people got to know that I was Dipsy - but I never mentioned it on stage," he previously stated. Laa Laa. The third Teletubby, Laa Laa, known for their curly antenna and being the kindest and most encouraging member of the troupe, was portrayed by professionally trained dancer Nikky Smedley. Now aged 53, Smedley landed the role after responding to a newspaper advert seeking an actor for a novel children's TV series, sticking with it throughout the original four-year stint. Yet, as Nikky recalls, it wasn't all child's play; the weighty and stifling costumes were a challenge while filming sessions stretched to 11-hour marathons. Post-Teletubbies, once its initial series concluded in 2001, Nikky continued her association with Ragdoll Productions, contributing to other projects. Among these, she choreographed the dance routines for another CBeebies hit, In The Night Garden - yet another children's programme populated with peculiar, vibrant beings. Po (Image: BBC) As for Po, the pint-sized darling of the group was depicted by Po, the tiniest and arguably most adorable of them all. Known for their subdued voice, Po enchanted audiences, blowing bubbles through a circle-shaped aerial and zipping around Tubbyland on a scooter. Pui Fan Lee embraced the part just after graduating drama school – captured in one particularly endearing photo snoozing while still partially suited up as Po. Upon Teletubbies' finale, Pui stirred some whispers by engaging in explicit scenes in Channel 4's Metrosexuality. "Yes, I was Po, but I am an actress, and the role looked interesting. I didn't take the lesbian role to be deliberately controversial," the actress clarified. Pui later made a comeback to children's television, becoming one of the first presenters on the CBeebies channel, alongside Chris Jarvis, with whom she also co-hosts Show Me Show Me. Additionally, the actress landed a minor role in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and made a guest appearance in EastEnders in 2019. The Sun Baby. (Image: Time4News/Youtube) The lovable Sun Baby would appear at the start of each episode, waking the Teletubbies and signaling the end of the day. Jess Smith, the original Sun Baby from 1997 to 2001, is now in her 20s and was expecting her first child. Interestingly, Jess was cast for the role while being weighed in hospital. Producers filmed her sitting in front of a mirror and camera, watching her dad play with toys, which made baby Jess laugh uncontrollably, instantly securing her the coveted BBC role. In a 2017 interview with BBC South East, Jess recounted how she landed the role: "I was being weighed at the hospital. "My mum took me and it just happened to be the same time that the producer of the old series had come in and wanted the hospital to get in contact with them if they'd seen any smiley babies. "It was just a case of sitting in front of a mirror and a camera and my dad playing with toys and race cars and that sort of thing to try and get me to laugh at the camera." When the show made its comeback in 2015, viewers were introduced to a new baby, Berry, who took up the mantle. An adorable photo even surfaced showing Jess giving Berry a cuddle.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Where the actors behind Teletubbies are now from lesbian sex scene to alcoholism
Underneath the giant costumes of the characters that grew up with millennial children were real-life people, who have been involved in scandal and tragedy in life after the hit show We all remember the four giant-sized, alien-like creatures running around in our screens causing mischief when we were little. The Teletubbies could be considered one of the most iconic children's TV shows in British history since they debuted in 1997. Their gibberish language and the differently shaped antennas coming out of their heads make them easily memorable. The four Teletubbies were Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po, and would be watched over by the Sun Baby and the Voice Trumpets. They all spread joy and laughter on the show to anyone who watched. However, they were quite renowned for mating so much so that they had to make a scene less X-rated, where one episode was banned. The show originally ran from 1997 until 2001 on the BBC before being revived from 2015 to 2018. And in November 2022, Netflix launched a big comeback. But what happened to the original faces behind the masks? Tinky Winky Tinky Winky was the largest and oldest Teletubby was played by three actors, Dave Thompson, Simon Shelton, and Jeremiah Krage. Dave, who was the first to play the purple giant left the series after viewers started to question Tinky Winky's sexuality. Hardline US evangelist Jerry Falwell once attacked the show, saying: "Tinky Winky is purple, the gay pride colour, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle: the gay pride symbol." The official line was that he walked due to 'creative differences', but it was later reported that the show's production company felt the actor had misinterpreted the role by "implying" Tinky Winky was gay. 'I am proud of my work for them. I was always the one to test out the limitations of the costume. I was the first to fall off my chair and roll over. I took all the risks," Dave said regarding his departure. Since leaving the show Dave went into the business of standup comedy and performed with the Naked Balloon dance troupe in 2014. After Dave's departure, Simon, who was a ballet dancer and choreographer, took over the role as the Teletubbies grew in popularity in the UK and US. 'We used to receive a lot of fan mail from kind and parents, I suppose we were a bit like The Beatles or Take That of children's television,' explained Simon. Tinky Winky's orientation has also been a question Simon has had to answer. "People always ask me if Tinky Winky is gay," he said. "But the character is supposed to be a three-year-old so the question is really quite silly." Tragically, Simon was found dead from hypothermia in Liverpool in January 2018 at the age of just 52-years-old. He had a high concentration of booze in his system and had known to have had problems with alcohol. Dipsy Dipsy may have been considered the coolest of the Teletubbies, played by stand-up comedian John Simmit. Explaining how he influenced the character, John explained: "Dipsy would say, 'Papa Come Papa Come To Po', which was actually my take on a classic reggae rhythm track called The Whip. "And I'd slip in Jamaican dance moves, a Bogle there and a Tatty here. People spotted my little wink to my culture and I'm proud of that." John never hid from the truth of how hard and sweaty it was to work in the big suit they had to wear. "We had to wear really ugly underwear like those old Western long johns, which was essentially a onesie, but it was so it could absorb the sweat," he said. "When we were out of costume, you'd have to turn your face the other way and speak to us at a distance because we were reeking and so sweaty you could wring us out. Huge props to our dressers for putting up with us!" Once the show came to an end after four years, John went back to being a comic and toured the country. John once said he has never revealed on stage that he was the man behind the Dipsy costume, but he does tweet about his time on the show and replies to fans' messages. "The stand-up circuit is pretty close-knit so people got to know that I was Dipsy - but I never mentioned it on stage,' he previously said. Laa Laa The third Teletubby is Laa Laa with the curly antenna, the sweetest and most supportive of the gang, and was played by trained dancer Nikky Smedley. The 53-year-old got the role of Laa Laa after replying to newspaper ads for an actor to star in a new children's TV show and stayed for the original four-year run. But it wasn't all fun and games as Nikky explained that the hot and heavy suits were a nightmare as they filmed for 11 hours at a time. Once Teletubbies came to the end of its first run in 2001, Nikky stayed working for Ragdoll Productions on other shows. As well as Boohbah, Nikky has been involved in choreographing CBeebies favourite In The Night Garden - another popular kid's show featuring strange, colourful characters. Po The baby of the family was little Po, who was by far the cutest and smallest of the lot. Softly-spoken Po could be seen blowing bubbles using her circular-shaped antenna and hurting around Tubbyland on her scooter. Actress and presenter Pui Fan Lee took on the role shortly after leaving drama school - and in one incredible picture was seen lying down fast asleep with the body of her Po costume still on. After the show ended, Pui raised a few eyebrows by taking part in lesbian sex scenes during Channel 4 show Metrosexuality. "Yes, I was Po, but I am an actress, and the role looked interesting. I didn't take the lesbian role to be deliberately controversial," explained the actress. Pui would later return to children's TV and was one of the first ever presenters on the CBeebies channel along with Chris Jarvis, who she also hosts Show Me Show Me with. The actress also had a minor role in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and made a guest appearance in EastEnders in 2019. The Sun Baby The adorable Sun Baby popped up at the beginning of every episode to wake the Teletubbies up and as a signal for the end of the day. The original Sun Baby was played by Jess Smith, between 1997 and 2001, and is now in her 20s and was expecting her first child. The child star also previously revealed that she was actually cast in the role when she was being weighed in hospital. At the time, producers let the baby Jess sit in front of a mirror and a camera while she watched her dad play with toys. Luckily, the sweet moment made baby Jess laugh so much that she was instantly cast in the coveted BBC role. Speaking to BBC South East in 2017 about landing the role, Jess explained: "I was being weighed at the hospital. "My mum took me and it just happened to be the same time that the producer of the old series had come in and wanted the hospital to get in contact with them if they'd seen any smiley babies. "It was just a case of sitting in front of a mirror and a camera and my dad playing with toys and race cars and that sort of thing to try and get me to laugh at the camera." When the show was revived in 2015, a new baby called Berry took over the role and was even seen being cuddled by Jess in a cute snap.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The 1% Club knocks out whopping TEN players with 'easiest' question - could you answer it in 30 seconds?
The 1% Club knocked out a whopping 10 players with the game's supposedly 'easiest' question. Hosted by Lee Mack, the ITV show welcomes 100 contestants who all attempt to win a huge cash prize. The programme's questions are put to the public before the episode, with the percentage who get it right determining the difficulty of each round. Aptly, the final quiz question is one that just one per cent of the public answered correctly. But a recent episode saw one of the supposedly simplest questions, the one 90 per cent of the public got right, trip up some players. The contestants seemed to find 30 seconds just not enough to get to the answer in time. Lee read out the question: 'Logically, which of these children's characters could be included in this sequence?' The sequence went: 'Humpty Dumpty, Tinky Winky, Andy Pandy.' The 100 contestants were then given two options to choose from as the next item in the list: 'Postman Pat' or 'Incy Wincy'. While the contestants were thinking hard, Lee cheekily quipped: 'Actually, these are all nicknames I use for my, um... actually, forget that.' For some, the pattern might seem obvious - each of the character's names is made up of two words, which rhyme, making 'Incy Wincy' the answer Lee was looking for. He said: 'The right answer is Incy Wincy because the sequence is made up of characters whose names rhyme so Incy Wincy is the only correct option.' But a huge ten per cent of the players seem to have been distracted by giggling at Lee's joke as they did not spot the pattern. Ten of the 100 contestants answered 'Postman Pat' instead - getting themselves eliminated in the very first round. It comes after another 90 per cent question got an enormous 25 players wiped out - a quarter of all the episode's contestants - in a different recent instalment of the quiz show. The question read: 'Which of the following words contain the most vowels?' The options were 'vowel', 'consonant' and 'letter'. Lee joked: 'And if you don't know what a vowel is here's a little tip... perhaps spend more time reading and less time on Instagram.' The correct answer was 'consonant' but the question proved too tricky for 25 players, who were all knocked out of the game. Lee asked one of them, called Amanda, what answer she went for. Amanda revealed she selected 'vowel' and Lee asked: 'What was your reasoning?' She replied: 'Because I'm an idiot. I overthought it', to which Lee said: 'It's easily done.' The 1% Club is available to watch on ITV and to stream on ITV.
