Nikky Smedley is the soul of a character that most people can name and recognise, even if they don't know who the human is. She was the voice and body of Laa-Laa from the children's television program Teletubbies.

With insight and warmth, she details the experience of creating the show, from seeing the initial advertisement seeking energetic performers to the end of filming six years later, and the subsequent events leading to the present day. Her humour and affection for the time are paired well with the honest descriptions of the difficulties of being eight feet tall and running around a field covered in fur.

As someone who was a child watching the show, I never did, and only from reading this book do I now, understand the extent and engagement of the Teletubbies. Aired in 120 countries in 45 languages, filmed in a hidden field and rich with education theory (which Smedley shares and explains), this program was a massive undertaking and a gamble that paid off. It's heartening to read Smedley's obvious fondness and sheer joy from her time as Laa-Laa, then to follow this with how she's incorporated this into her career.

I am glad about the timing of this book. As with the initial reluctance for anyone to see the Tubbies outside of Teletubbyland because it jars with the perception, for the children that watched it and their adults, having a distance from that time helps. It made for a thoroughly entertaining experience to delve back into this world, with each of Smedley's memories bringing back ones in the reader. It has been a long time since I've thought about Tubby Toast.

Smedley discusses the controversy that the program garnered, especially in the early days, regarding the appropriateness for young children, with many voicing concerns as to the impact on their development. As one such child, I can confidently assure you that it did nothing but good.

---

As a brief comment on this as it is an uncorrected proof, throughout, the word 'learned' needs to be replaced with the English spelling- this being 'learnt'. Please note that this did not impact my rating.