Teletubbies scene was so creepy episode had to be banned

If you cast your mind back to your childhood, you may recall how infatuated we all were as kids with the four antenna-sporting characters who talked in gibberish and had TV screens on their stomachs.

You know who we're on about - Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po, of course.

Most of us have plenty of fond memories of watching the Teletubbies gallivant around that idyllic landscape where the iconic baby-faced sun shines down and Noo-Noo rules the roost.

So you'll be in for quite the shock if you didn't know that one episode of the BBC show was deemed so creepy that it was banned back in 1999 amid fears it would terrify children. Take a look for yourself here:

It's hard to believe that a kids show featuring four colourful characters whose favourite tipple was 'Tubby Custard' somehow nearly scared the living daylights out of its loyal fanbase.

All they did was run around the hills, chill in the Tubbytronic Superdome and wait for a magical event, right?

That might be half-true, but sometimes the guest characters who joined them on the infamous grassy hill weren't as endearing as Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po.

Among the nine seasons - which amounted to a staggering 485 episodes - there was one storyline which apparently had the potential to scar our evolving minds for good.

The Teletubbies episode titled 'The Lion & The Bear', which first aired in 1997, quickly set alarm bells ringing for parents.

People claimed it was far 'too scary' for the show's target audience, who were kids between the ages of one to four years old. But what's all the fuss about two animals joining the fold?

BBC Two

Well, it was one very haunting character in particular - a cartoon lion with unsettlingly darting eyes - which nearly scared the living daylights out of us lot.

In the episode, the lion can be seen being wheeled over the rolling meadows on a skateboard-like contraption whilst roaring ferociously.

A cartoon bear then enters the scene, shouting 'Boo' at the dead-eyed big cat.

"I am the scary lion," the lion begins, "and I am looking for the bear."

Grimacing and snarling the whole way through, the lion then adds: "I know she's hiding, but I don't know where."

The shot then pans to the four Teletubbies, who are watching the whole ordeal take place.

The lion then repeats himself again before saying: "I'm looking over here and I'm looking over there."

Seemingly fixated on this elusive bear, he carries on looking around the grassy hills.

BBC Two

The bear then lets out a childish yet super eerie giggle to tease the clearly frustrated lion.

Raising his voice, the shot then zooms into the lion's face as he forcibly demands: "Where's the bear?"

Finally finding the bear, the lion then chases after it, while the bear says: "Catch me!"

The clip then ends after showing the pair running - or rather wheeling - around the hills, while they both make some very odd noises.

Parents reportedly made 'numerous complaints' about the age-inappropriate music, scary voices, dark tone, and creepy dialogue that they reckoned would have petrified us kiddiewinks.

It seemed that the fact the characters were made out of wood, had the ability to move on their own, boasted scary voices and starred in pretty tense scenes was enough for the episode to end up in exile.

Topics: TV and Film, Weird, Parenting, BBC, UK News

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_