Dave Thompson (comedian)

Dave Thompson (born 30 June 1959) is a British stand-up comedian and actor, who hit the headlines in July 1997 after being sacked from the role of Tinky-Winky in hit children's television series, Teletubbies after just 70 episodes. The BBC said in a letter to Thompson that his "interpretation of the role was not acceptable". This refers to the events in which Thompson claimed that the character he played, "Tinky Winky", was a homosexual. Thompson recounted bursting into tears upon learning the news of his termination. In interviews, he supposed that the fact his voice was dubbed, unlike the other actors, was an indication of dissatisfaction over his performance. The tabloids overflowed with coverage of his misfortune. The Sun started a reinstatement campaign on his behalf. The resulting fervor over his dismissal quadrupled viewership from 500,000 to 2 million.

He has since appeared in the film based around Ben Elton's script Maybe, Baby.

• Thorpe, Vanessa. (July 27 1997). "Tantrums in Teletubbyland as Tinky Winky gets the elbow". The Independent (London), p. 3.
• Kitterick, Bernadette. (July 30 1997). "I burst into tears, says axed Teletubby". Bristol Evening Post, p. 5.

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