We may finally have an answer to one of the most pressing questions of the 1990s: Who played the sun baby on the show The Teletubbies? Jess Smith, a 19-year-old from Chatham, Kent, recently claimed she played the iconic children's character:
I am the sun from Teletubbies. There has been quite a few people pretending to be 'the sun' but only I could tell you the real story.
So I've recently celebrated my 19th birthday and after a lot of thought, I've decided it's time to tell everyone. I used to hide it but after a lot of encouragement from my friends at university, I've gained the confidence to come out with it.
According to Smith, a production company came to Edenbridge Hospital in 1996 looking for smiley babies. Since Jess fit the description, her mother, Anjela Smith, decided to introduce her to the world of television:
It was just something a bit different to do and we didn't expect it to be as big as it was. They just sat her in front of a camera and she just laughed and smiled at her dad. We didn't hear anything until we got a letter when she was
Jess Smith's story has not been corroborated by the creators of Teletubbies, but the college student did present some documentary evidence that, if genuine, is pretty convincing:
Smith may now be enjoying her moment in the sun, but she didn't exactly receive fame and fortune from her gig on the Teletubbies. Jess was reportedly paid only about $375 and a box of toys for her work on the 90s children show:
Last updated: 23 December 2014