Read an oral history of Teletubbies, which turns 25 this year

Mel Magazine

"The premise for Teletubbies was simple enough, but it sounds batsh*t crazy on paper," says Jake Hall. "The show revolves around four space-age toddlers with televisions in their stomachs, who interact with weird shit that comes into their bizarre little world, Tubbyland. There’s Tinky Winky, a gigantic purple dude with an upside-down triangle on his head and a dainty, red purse that he carries with him at all times. Dipsy is acid-green with a rod-straight antenna protruding from his head, often covered by a zebra-print top hat. Laa-Laa is sunflower-yellow with an adorable, high-pitched voice, whereas Po is the ostensible baby of the group. These hulking, mythical toddlers — who are, on average, around six-and-a-half feet tall — live in a house run by a talking vacuum cleaner, Noo-Noo. They eat Pepto Bismol-pink 'tubby custard,' which squirts out of a machine like extraterrestrial cum. In the center of the sun is the face of a fucking baby. It’s a psychedelic fever dream of a show, but one that resonated with millions — if not billions — of kids worldwide."