Teletubbies interview with Daniel Rigby

Daniel Rigby is the voice of the narrator in the new Teletubbies.

Published: 19 October 2015
What sticks in my mind from seeing the Teletubbies is Tinky Winky's handbag and Tubby Custard. I always remember wanting to have a glass of Tubby Custard and some Tubby Toast in the morning.
— Daniel Rigby

How does it feel to be narrating and singing the theme tune for the new Teletubbies?
Teletubbies is a national institution and it was a privilege to be asked to be their voice. It feels super surreal, but it does feel wonderful. Anyone I tell that I'm doing this, they're, like, 'That's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to you.' It's like I'm saying, 'I've been knighted,' or 'I've won £1 million.'

I've tried to make my voice warm, and authoritative, because I have to tell the Teletubbies what to do, and also I can make things appear in the sky with my voice. So I've moved it to a slightly more neutral accent, and tried to make it sound bright, warm and friendly, because the narrator loves the Teletubbies.

Did you watch the original series of Teletubbies?
I did, but I wasn't technically the target audience for it. I think I was in my teens!

What do you remember most about the Teletubbies?
What sticks in my mind from seeing the Teletubbies is Tinky Winky's handbag and Tubby Custard. I always remember wanting to have a glass of Tubby Custard and some Tubby Toast in the morning. In this series, Tubby Custard takes on a whole new life. Tubby Custard, mark two!

How does working on Teletubbies differ to work you’ve done in the past?
Well, I'm used to doing television acting stuff, and stand-up. I've done bits of radio, which is very similar to this.

The original theme song went to number one in the charts. Do you hope that the new version has similar success?
I feel very ready to be a pop star. I feel like that's something that I deserve, and I feel prepared for being number one in the charts!

Do you feel additional pressure because of the global success of the original Teletubbies?
I don't necessarily feel pressure. I know that it's a huge show, a juggernaut. I just feel really excited to be part of it, and delighted to be in Teletubbyland.

What was it like walking onto set for the first time?
Seeing the set of the Teletubbies was amazing because it was incredibly intricate. So much work has gone into realising the landscape. Also, the Teletubbies have incredible amounts of energy.

Which children’s programmes did you enjoy growing up?
When I was little, I was obsessed with Roland Rat. I also loved Danger Mouse. Later on, when I got a bit older, I was obsessed with Ren & Stimpy but Roland Rat and Danger Mouse, they were my guys. They were my team.

Some Teletubbies facts!

  • The new series features 60 brand new 14 minute long episodes
  • The original series was filmed outdoors, but filming for the new series has been brought indoors into a studio in Twickenham, London using pioneering new production techniques
  • Many familiar outdoor elements remain including Home Hill and the Windmill. Even the positioning of the pathways remains faithful to the original series
  • The new Windmill has a more natural look and, in reality, is 25cm high
  • A 1:20 scale 3D printed model of Teletubbyland was built. Measuring 3m x 3m, it represents the 360 (degree) world around the Teletubbies’ home, known as Home Hill
  • There are 20,000 laser-cut flowers and 40,000 real dried flowers on the Teletubbies landscape model. The flowers were all hand-painted and placed onto the model to make them look natural and realistic
  • There are 4 varieties of flowers on the model- buttercups, poppies, daisies and cornflowers
  • The grass is 6mm high and was chopped and trimmed with nail scissors, hairdressing scissors and beard trimmers to give the natural feel of a meadow. Longer pieces of grass were also added by hand. After grass cutting, the model was sometimes hoovered with a hand vacuum
  • Teletubbyland has 5 variations of hillock. They are 4cm high on the model but, after clever compositing, an 8 foot tall Teletubby will stand on them.
  • The countryside horizon backdrop is modelled on the hills of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
  • The size of the Teletubbies’ tummy screens have changed to reflect modern televisions and are now 16:9
  • The Noo-noo is the original Noo-noo, but lovingly restored with a brand new engine and colourful makeover
  • The Tubby Phone is a touch-screen phone which plays music, speaks and takes photos – the voice is that of Jane Horrocks!
  • The Dup Dup is a brand new lift connecting the Teletubbies’ dome and the hills. It replaces the slide which was used in the original series
  • The Tubby Custard Ride is a brand new toy for this series. It is 10 meters in length and splats out pink custard for the Teletubbies
  • Tubby Custard is made from a diuretic food thickener with added pink dye
  • The structure of the inside of the Teletubbies Home Hill is a large inflatable which requires constant air to keep it up. The Dome is 5 metres high and was deflated each night once filming had finished
  • The new series features a brand new Sun Baby! This iconic part is being played by 18 month old baby Berry from London, who replaces the original Sun Baby who is now 19!
  • The title sequence for the theme tune was recorded by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
  • The live action sequences which appear in the Teletubbies’ tummies are still a key feature of the show. Filmed from a child’s perspective, each short film corresponds to the theme of the episode. Instead of being shown again in its entirety, only highlights of the first film will be repeated in the new series.