| Dave Thompson | |
|---|---|
 Dave Thompson performing at Downstairs at the Kings Head, a stand-up comedy venue in Crouch End, North London | |
| Born | (1959-06-30) 30 June 1959 (age 65) Bristol, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, stand-up comedian, writer |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Notable work | Teletubbies |
| Website | www |
Dave Thompson (born 30 June 1959) is an English actor, stand-up comedian and writer, who made 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".
Thompson recounted bursting into tears upon learning the news of his termination. In interviews, he supposed that the dubbing of his voice, unlike the other actors, was an indication of dissatisfaction over his performance.
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. Thompson also made appearances in each night of Hill's Hooves tour.
Filmography
Film
- Hardcore (1979) - Willem
- Area (1989) - Doctor
- Huge (2010) - Martin Luckhust
- The Harry Hill Movie (2013) - Brain Number Two
- Down the Back of the Sofa (2017) - Himself/host
Television
- Red Dwarf (1993) - Cowpoke
- Teletubbies (1997; Season 1, 70 episodes) - Tinky Winky
- Harry Hill (1998) - Fake Alan
- Screech Owls (2002) - Himself
- Time Gentleman Please (2000–2002) - Dave
- TV Burp (2004–2012) - Various characters
- Blessed (2005)
Production credits
Writer
- The Sketch Show (8 episodes)
- TV Burp (2 episodes)
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. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- Network News (2010). "interview with a teletubby". earthlydelights.co.uk. p. 2. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- Kitterick, Bernadette (30 July 1997). "I burst into tears, says axed Teletubby". Bristol Evening Post. p. 5.