Want to have your childhood ruined? The dirt dished on one of television’s most memorable children’s TV shows? The veil of your younger years ripped out from under you? If so, go and check out whatever low-brow shenanigans Basil Brush is up to. Confessions of a Teletubby, while certainly revealing, isn’t interested in throwing shade or landing a killer blow with some shocking exposé. Yes secrets are shared, and some of them are a bit squeamish or obscene, but this intimate account is more about celebrating the creative process while lamenting the hard work that goes into something genuinely new. 

Following on from her 2022 memoir and sell-out Fringe run last year, Nikki Smedley – who played Lala in the original run of Teletubbies (1997-2001) – is back. Almost immediately, she explains why she can’t appear on stage in her trademark Lala costume, which among other reasons is because she would likely put a hole in the roof. Smedley recalls how she went from being a hard-up dancer living in South London to being given the opportunity of a lifetime with Teletubbies. Smedley delivers an honest, endearing account. It doesn’t shy away from the difficulties that filming presented (indeed some of the biggest laughs stem from these hardships) but Confessions of a Teletubby is at least as much about the joy and ingenuity of bringing something so distinctive to life. 

Smedley is a disarming and charismatic host, still blessed with the energy that she brought to Lala all those years ago. She is brimming with entertaining anecdotes about bathroom habits, overexcited rabbits, and bizarre backstage games. Her Teletubby-specific turns of phrase like ‘tubbing around’ add an extra air of joviality and light-heartedness. Smedley never spends too much time on some of the more serious matters, but this is less a comprehensive history lesson and more of a personalised, meaningful account. Her timing is also great, holding on to key pieces of information until the right time to always leave you guessing about what strange event comes next. 

Essential watching for any ‘90s baby or particularly curious parents, Confessions of a Teletubby is an alternative and delightful insight into the history of British television. This is not the X-rated romp that you might expect, but instead the juicy gossip forms part of a wider story of creativity and the wonders of childhood that Teletubbies captured so well. 

Confessions of a Teletubby is at theSpace @Surgeon’s Hall – Theatre 1 until Sat 10 Aug 2024, at 10:30