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Jess Smith, 19, Claims She Was Teletubbies’ Giggling Baby: What Did She Get Paid?

Jessica Smith
A 19-year-old Chatham, Kent student claims she was the Teletubbies' giggling baby featured on the PBS kids' program –– find out the weird ways she was paid!

“Eh-oh!” A 19-year-old student is claiming that she (yes, she!) was the giggly baby sun that kids saw each week on the PBS show Teletubbies. Jess Smith made the reveal during a recent game with her college friends.

Teletubbies
Jess Smith

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Smith is currently a freshman at Canterbury Christ Church University. After surprising pals, she later confirmed her famous role on Facebook.

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“I thought I may as well tell them as I’m going to be spending the next three years with them. My mother is really chuffed,” Smith said, via The Daily Mail. She added online: “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. 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.”

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Indeed, she did! Smith was chosen to be featured in the series when she was just 9 months old — and for little pay in return! Smith earned 250 pounds (roughly $390 in the U.S.) for her bit and a box of toys. She was put in a high chair to film the footage that repeated in each episode, and her father Bill would play with a teddy bear behind the camera to make her laugh.

“No one knew how big the show was going to be so we didn’t get offered royalties,” Smith explained. “People told my mum that I should have gone into modeling but she thought it wasn’t the right move to make as I was quite shy.”

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