Dave Thompson (comedian)
| Dave Thompson | |
|---|---|
 Dave Thompson performing at Downstairs at the Kings Head, a stand-up comedy venue in Crouch End, North London. | |
| Born |
January 1, 1960 Putney, England |
| Occupation | comedian, writer, actor |
| Known for | Teletubbies |
| Website |
www |
Dave Thompson (born 1 January 1960) is a British comedian and actor who hit the headlines in July 1997 after being removed from the role of Tinky Winky in the children's television series Teletubbies after 70 episodes. The BBC said in a letter to Thompson that his "interpretation of the role was not acceptable".[1][2]
In an interview for The Pod Delusion, Thompson revealed that his contract had already been terminated at the end of the first season's filming – some time before the media allegations concerning Tinky Winky had emerged. He also claimed that a number of other Ragdoll Productions staff had been fired at the same time, the implication being that the mainstream media account of his termination was incorrect.
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.[3]
Thompson later appeared in the 2000 Ben Elton film Maybe Baby as Dave the Comedian/Mrs. Furblob. He also appeared in Harry Hill's live tour Hooves as the minor characters of the Horse, the ballboy and the Greek man who grabs Harry's neck. The original role of Thompson for the show was to carry Harry onto the stage at the beginning of the performance, but was unable to do so throughout the tour due to having a bad back. Thompson made brief appearances in each night of the Hooves tour.
Books
- Sit-Down Comedy (contributor to anthology, ed Malcolm Hardee & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003. ISBN 0-09-188924-3; ISBN 978-0-09-188924-1
References
- ↑ Thorpe, Vanessa (27 July 1997). "Tantrums in Teletubbyland as Tinky Winky gets the elbow". The Independent.
- ↑ "interview with a teletubby", earthlydelights.co.uk
- ↑ Kitterick, Bernadette, "I burst into tears, says axed Teletubby". Bristol Evening Post, p. 5 (30 July 1997)