The seemingly innocent children's television show "Rainbow," which first aired in 1972 as a British counterpart to "Sesame Street," was reportedly plagued by significant backstage drama, according to revelations from Zippy's puppeteer, Ronnie Le Drew. Le Drew, who passed away in 2026, detailed instances of sexism, a pervasive drinking culture, jealousy among cast members, and risqué antics involving the show's puppets in his 2019 autobiography, "Zippy and Me: My Life Inside Britain's Most Infamous Puppet."
Le Drew described a backstage environment where innuendo and inappropriate behavior were commonplace. He recounted an incident where an archbishop touring the studios reportedly stumbled upon the cast engaging in suggestive play with the puppets. Le Drew also alleged that one of the show's singers, Jane Tucker, who married two of her co-stars, had earned the nickname "Miss Whiplash" and would make suggestive remarks involving the puppet Zippy. The props man, Sid, was also reportedly known for making lewd comments about the show's director.
On-Set Behavior and Tensions
According to Le Drew's account, the cast would sometimes alter the positions of animal props to appear sexual. He also detailed instances of Zippy the puppet being used in sexually suggestive ways during rehearsals, including smuggled props and masturbatory gestures. George the puppet was reportedly reprimanded by Bungle for bedwetting and leaving skid marks, while Zippy and George would engage in suggestive actions in the background during host Geoffrey Hayes's segments.
Beyond the puppet-related antics, Le Drew highlighted a culture of heavy drinking among the cast, with members often arriving at rehearsals under the influence. Host Geoffrey Hayes was also reportedly prone to jealousy, fearing he would be upstaged by the puppet characters Zippy and George. Hayes apparently resented the puppets receiving more fan mail than he did. Hayes passed away in 2018 after a battle with pneumonia, having left show business after "Rainbow" concluded and later worked as a supermarket shelf-stacker and taxi driver. He had previously told the BBC in 2002 that his years on "Rainbow" were the "happiest 20 years of my life."
Beyond the Scandals
In 2015, "Rainbow" faced controversy when a pastor accused the program of containing hidden homosexual messages within its opening credits, specifically referencing a depiction of homosexuality infiltrating the Bible. The show also saw its share of injuries; puppeteer Violet Philpott, who originally created Zippy, departed after the first season due to a back injury sustained from adopting an awkward position to operate the puppet through a window.
"Rainbow" was ultimately canceled in 1992. Le Drew's memoir also touched upon personal aspects of his life, including the death of his father when he was 16. Comedians Jim Davidson and Bobby Davro were reportedly fans of the show, with Davidson once recounting an anecdote about meeting the Queen and Prince Philip at a children's party in Hyde Park in 1979. During the event, a child presented a portrait of the Queen with a darkened face, to which Prince Philip humorously remarked on the Queen's need to change her makeup.