This Scene From Teletubbies Was So Creepy The Episode Was Banned In 1999 

The 1997 Teletubbies episode titled “The Lion & The Bear” was banned back in 1999 after dozens of parents complained about it being too scary for children. 

The episode was recently uploaded on Twitter by the account suitably named Horror4Kids, and it’s bringing back a lot of unpleasant memories.

While most will remember the Teletubbies as a cute children’s TV programme, there’s no doubt the whole premise of the show was a little weird. 

Their distinctively formed antenna sticking out of their heads and television displays on their tummies make them some of history’s most recognisable TV characters.

Children of all ages marveled as Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po, four colorful figures, played in the green Tubbyland while being looked over by a Sun Baby in the sky. 

The Tubbytronic Superdome, Tubby Toast, Tubby Custard, and Noo-Noo the mischievous, sentient vacuum cleaner were all presented to us along with their incomprehensible language.

As most will know, it was intended for extremely young children, but one scene is said to have been so terrifying that it was outlawed globally.

A horrifying episode that debuted in 1997 was banned in several countries and was subsequently altered by BBC executives because children were too alarmed by it, causing parents to complain about the episode. 

It all comes down to two cardboard cutouts on wheels, a bear and a lion, and the eerie storyline that ensues.

Although the Bear’s mere presence was unpleasant enough, the situation only gets worse because the cutout continues repeating, “I’m the Bear, I’m the Bear, and I’m coming.”

The animal adds: “I’m the Bear, I’m the Bear, with brown fuzzy hair. I’m hiding from the Lion but he doesn’t know where.”

This is when the Lion enters the scene, and along with the dark music, it’s understandable why kids were so afraid. 

“I am the scary Lion, with big scary teeth. I’m scary on the top and I’m underneath,” the lion growls.

And it seems to have left viewers at the time with a lot of bad memories of that particular episode of the show, with one writing: “It is the Freddie meets Jason equivalent of children’s stories…dear God!”

A second revealed: “This was genuinely my first experience of horror as a child. I don’t even need to watch the clip because I had nightmares about that bear for months.”

“The only time I was scared by Teletubbies was the music from this segment,” recalled a third.

Another person commented: “I remember this episode, and it was indeed very creepy! I never really watched the show as I was already a little too old when it started airing, but I caught that one. I always found the Teletubbies pretty creepy in general though!

Someone else added: “The lion and bear were my sleep paralysis/nightmare demons EVERY. DAMN. NIGHT. when I was in primary school, twinned with tornados!! I still remember so many of them vividly to this day. They had No Reason to be as terrifying as they were, and they STILL traumatise me to the day!! As soon as the screen would roll to the trees or the hills I would immediately hide regardless of the scene because they scared me that much.”


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