A student has broken a 19-year silence and revealed she was the iconic sun baby in hit TV show Teletubbies.

Jess Smith, from Chatham, Kent, was selected to be the giggling baby sun who looks over Teletubbyland when she was just nine months old.

The show was a global hit and Miss Smith, a first-year dance education student at Canterbury Christ Church University, became one of the most famous faces in the world - but only her family knew it was her.

Jess Smith (pictured left and right as a baby) was chosen as the giggling baby sun who looks over Teletubbyland when she was just nine months old - but kept her role a secret for 19 years

There were rumours the true identity of the baby was another Jessica Smith - the 27-year-old star of American teen soap Laguna Beach.

But Miss Smith has finally gone public and spoken for the first time about her role in the TV show which featured characters Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po.

Miss Smith only revealed her secret during a game with her university friends - where they all had to say something about themselves that no one else would guess.

She then used Facebook to confirm it was her - and photos show she still has the same cheeky face.

Miss Smith said: 'I thought I may as well tell them as I'm going to be spending the next three years with them. My mother is really chuffed.'

Miss Smith revealed her secret during a game with her university friends where they all had to say something about themselves that no one else would guess - she is pictured left and right as the smiling sun baby

She then made the news public on Facebook.

She wrote: 'So I've recently celebrated my 19th birthday and after a lot of thought, I've decided it's time to tell everyone.

'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.

'I am the sun from Teletubbies. There has been quite a few people pretending to be 'the sun' but only I could tell you the real story.'

Miss Smith is now a first-year dance education student at Canterbury Christ Church University

Miss Smith added: 'Everyone says they can see the likeness between my face now and me as a baby. I still have a baby face. I haven't changed much either. I am still giggly.'

Miss Smith posted a picture of a letter her parents received from Courtyard Productions in Four Elms, Kent, on June 17, 1996, on Facebook proving she was the baby - not the American TV star Jessica Smith.

She said: 'I'm not sure why the actress is claiming to be the face or why people think she is.

'She would have been 10 at the time of filming - and she doesn't even look like the baby.

'My neighbours said I should put everyone right as they would be annoyed if it was them. But I wasn't that bothered until I told my uni friends.

'I am not sure why they picked me - I assume because I was more giggly than everyone else.'

She added: 'I do remember watching the Teletubbies when I was a child.

'When I was young I used to laugh along with the sun but it was only when I got older that I understood it was me.

'My close friends and family knew, but it just never interested me before to tell everyone.

'At uni we had to tell the person sitting next to us something about ourselves so I thought I would say it.

'Then people from uni convinced me to tell everyone and they encouraged me through it all.

'I am proud. I wouldn't change it for anything.

'My family will all remember it for ever. My nan has articles about me when I was baby all over her wall.'

As no one could predict the success of Teletubbies (pictured) Jess was paid £250 and given a box of toys

Her name was put forward when her mother Anji Smith, 44, a recruitment consultant, took her to be weighed at Edenbridge Hospital, Kent.

A health visitor had been asked by Ragdoll Productions to find smiley babies.

Miss Smith was put in a high chair for the filming so she would be looking down like the sun.

Her father Bill, 49, made her giggle by playing with a teddy bear behind the camera.

As no one could predict the success of the show, Jess was paid just £250 for filming and given a box of toys to take home.

Delighted Mrs Smith said: 'It was just something a bit different to do and we didn't expect it to be as big as it was.

Miss Smith (pictured left) with a friend, said she is not disappointed by her small payment of £250

'They just sat her in front of a camera and she just laughed and smiled at her dad.'

Miss Smith said she is not disappointed by her small payment of £250.

The production company also sent the family a video of her performance and told them when the first show would be aired on TV.

She said: 'I am sure I loved the box of toys.

'No one knew how big the show was going to be so we didn't get offered royalties. '

She added: 'People told my mum that I should have gone into modeling but she thought it wasn't the right move to make as I was quite shy.'

Luckily Jess' little sister Lucy, now 17, hadn't been born when she took part in the filming so there were no arguments over who got the part.