Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Teletubbyland

Posted by Rob, Thursday, 7th February 2008

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For those of you not familiar with cult 1990s children’s television, Teletubbies was a program primarily aimed at 1-4 year olds which followed the life of four colourful characters, notable for their camp outfits and love of Tubby custard. The Teletubbies (Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po) eventually became a worldwide success amongst children and ‘grown-ups’ alike, lasting 365 episodes before filming finally ended in 2001.

Their unique domed house in Tellytubbyland was actually in the middle of farmland in Warwickshire, England. The dome was 16 feet high – big enough to accomodate the Tellytubbies themselves, who ranged in height from 6ft 6in up to 10 feet tall. To help make the characters appear less enormous, the rabbits used in the programme were actually Flemish Giants – which can grow to over 20lbs!

teletubbies.jpg

Sadly, the shame must have been too much to bear for the landowner, as this more recent Microsoft Live Map shows that he has since converted this fascinating historical site into a small lake instead.

msteletubbies.jpg

Here’s a great article about the filming location.

Thanks: Cookie Monster, Greg M and Jasmine.

12 Responses to 'Teletubbyland'

  1. Ben says:

    I never saw a 10 ft tall Tellytubby!

  2. HighUpinPA says:

    That wasn’t a sound stage?

    Great find, great thing to cancel. I love the picture of the guy in the Teletubby suit. Made all those painful years of watching it worth it.

    Now, can you tell me where the Hall of Justice is? Just don’t give me any of that “it was a cartoon” business. Superfriends are real.

  3. nova72 says:

    how do you know its more recent?

    The date at the bottom right of live maps says 2007. The digital globe date at the bottom right of Google Maps says 2008.

  4. cookie monster says:

    The most amazing thing about the Teletubbies was the way they managed to get beautiful blue skies and fluffy white clouds so often. If they were to film it Manchester they would get about 3 days a year to shoot in.

    In other matters…..a prize of a Ninky Nonk to anyone who can find the location of In The Night Garden……and before anyone states the obvious….yes, i know its in the clouds in the Land of Sleep over the sea etc etc etc.

  5. Lars says:

    This place has had joke signs put up several times saying “teletubby land”. Isn’t not so obvious from above, but from the ground I can’t help but to chuckle at it everytime i pass by: Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  6. phillip says:

    I soooooo would have converted that into a people-sized hobbit hole. Way more cool.

  7. Izzy says:

    To nova72: the pics on Microsoft and Google are both more recent than the start of Teletubbies. I know ‘cos I’m from Warwickshire, and the satelite images where I live are more recent than Teletubbies. In that case, the pond comes later.

  8. Maff says:

    In other matters…..a prize of a Ninky Nonk to anyone who can find the location of In The Night Garden……and before anyone states the obvious….yes, i know its in the clouds in the Land of Sleep over the sea etc etc etc.
    —————————————

    All I can find out is that it’s in Warwickshire woodland

  9. cookie monster says:

    Thanks Maff
    Once again i’m amazed they managed to get sunny weather long enough to do any meaningful shooting.
    I had presumed it was shot abroad because the wood doesnt look very British.
    Note to self – In The Night Garden is not real! ….stop thinking it is!…..its made up!

  10. Moarrris says:

    It was cult viewing indeed. Nothing quite like sexually ambiguous anthropomorphic-same-sex-eroticism to teach our children values. My favourite bit was when Tinky winky shot tubby custard all over Noonoo’s face. Aah, good times.

  11. Tubbytoast says:

    I miss the Tubbies. What an inventive show – zen humour at it’s finest!

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