5 Less-Than-Wholesome Facts About Teletubbies That Will Ruin Your Childhood

Do you have any memories of the surreal children's show Teletubbies? Or have you forgotten about this psychedelic project set in the weirdest locations? You might be lucky to have never seen the Teletubbies, but it might be still worth checking them out. There is simply nothing in the history of children's TV that is as crazy as it is insanely popular.

1. Teletubbies are Actually Astronauts

If you've ever wondered why the Teletubbies look the way they do and how anyone could ever come up with it, here's the answer – the Teletubbies were inspired by the Moon landing, in the best tradition of the sci-fi genre.

The Teletubbies were created by BBC Editors Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport. Andrew was very impressed by the Moon landing – the astronauts, looking short-legged and big-headed in their spacesuits, became a source of inspiration for creating these four-colored monsters that still haunt our dreams.

The Teletubbies' habit of jumping is a reference to the way astronauts move in low gravity. The space topic continues with the fancy antennas on the plush aliens' heads and the flying saucer-like house they live in.

2. One Of The Episodes Was Banned Because It Was Too Scary

Did you think The Exorcist or The Ring were the scariest horror movies? Watch the Teletubbies episode Seesaw, where the audience is frightened in daylight – just like in Midsommar or The Wicker Man.

The episode was so scary that it was taken off the air. The project's target audience, children from 1 to 4 years old, did not appreciate the musical accompaniment, the script and the new characters – a lion and a bear on skateboards. They chased the Teletubbies, appeared out of nowhere and had spooky voices that would be nightmare fuel even for adults.

3. Teletubbies Are Actually Very, Very Tall

Teletubbies are children, right? So it's only natural to assume that they should be the size of an average child, but no. Apparently the Teletubbies universe has its own rules, and it turns out that Laa-Laa, Po, Dipsy and Tinky Winky are towering giants.

The shortest (and youngest, which makes sense) is Po – she is six feet and seven inches tall. And the rest of the Telletubbies are taller than seven feet. Now just live with that information.

4. There Were Bunnies Dying On The Set All The Time

Teletubby World is famous for the giant rabbits that inhabit it. Although the animals do not appear gigantic on screen, in reality the Flemish breed of rabbit can reach four feet and three inches in length. Originally bred to be eaten, the animals have weak hearts.

The show's creators recalled being greeted almost every week by a frustrated trainer as the rabbits simply died. The rabbits seemed to be dying happily because they were relentlessly following the most important rabbit rule – to reproduce. They did these adult things all the time and at the most inconvenient times. Because of this, scenes were constantly being reshot.

5. One Conspiracy Theory Claims The Teletubbies are Connected to Harry Potter

With such a background, it is not surprising that there are many conspiracy theories surrounding the project. Someone watched the opening sequence of the show many times and saw how the sun with the baby face is covered with the demonic face for a second. Others are sure that the Teletubbies are just slaves of a mysterious voice, a kind of Big Brother whose orders completely control their lives.

The third theory is the wildest one. The antennas on the heads of Tinky-Winky, Po and Dipsy resemble parts of the Deathly Hallows from the Harry Potter universe. And Laa-Laa wears a spiral on her head that looks like lightning: just like a boy wizard. And don't even get us started on how there are four teletubbies and their colors basically resemble those of Hogwarts houses (except for maybe Tinky-Winky who's actually purple, not blue, but who cares at this point?).