In news that feels custom-designed to make a generation of television viewers suddenly conscious of their age, the “Teletubbies” Sun Baby is expecting her first child.
Jessica Smith ― whose face regularly appeared wreathed in sunshine on the beloved children’s series, which ran from 1997 to 2001 ― confirmed her pregnancy Wednesday with a pair of ultrasound photos on Instagram.
“When two becomes three,” the British actor wrote in the caption, while tagging her partner, Ricky Latham. The couple are expected to welcome their daughter in January.
Not surprisingly, the news set off a wave of nostalgia among “Teletubbies” fans, many of whom congratulated Smith in the comments.
“The Teletubbies sun baby is having her own sun baby,” one person wrote.
“I strongly believe it’s time for a reboot, and your baby child should follow in your footsteps,” another said.
Michael Loccisano via Getty Images
Smith, now 27, was just 9 months old when she was cast as the Sun Baby, who summoned the four titular characters at the beginning and end of each “Teletubbies” episode.
The role of the Sun Baby remained uncredited until 2014, when Smith was first identified in the media as the iconic character.
“I used to hide it but after a lot of encouragement from my friends at university, I’ve gained the confidence to come out with it,” she told the Daily Mirror at the time. “There has been quite a few people pretending to be ‘the sun’ but only I could tell you the real story.”
Speaking to “Entertainment Tonight” in an interview published Thursday, Smith said she feels “overwhelmed with the amount of love” she’s received from fans with regard to her pregnancy.
“I am still overwhelmed with the amount of people who have watched and are watching ‘Teletubbies,’ the amount of messages I receive and hearing the stories told by people around the world,” she said.
And there’s no question that Latham and Smith’s daughter will get acquainted with her mother’s TV legacy early on.
“She will be watching my version of ‘Teletubbies,’” Smith quipped.
Catch Smith as the “Teletubbies” Sun Baby below.