The dark side of Rainbow: How the squeaky clean kids' show was plagued with backstage drama - including heavy-drinking, innuendo, sexism and jealousy over puppets

The beloved children’s television show Rainbow, which debuted in 1972 as a British counterpart to Sesame Street, has been revealed to have a far less wholesome behind-the-scenes story. According to Ronnie Le Drew, the puppeteer who brought Zippy to life, the show was marked by a chaotic mix of heavy drinking, sexual innuendos, sexism, and intense rivalries among its cast members. Le Drew, who died on Monday at the age of 78, detailed these revelations in his 2019 autobiography Zippy and Me: My Life Inside Britain's Most Infamous Puppet. The book exposed a world where the show’s wholesome exterior masked a volatile environment filled with personal conflicts and inappropriate behavior. Le Drew described how the show’s star singer, Jane Tucker, was known by the nickname “Miss Whiplash” due to her habit of revealing a leather S&M outfit while performing. She would also ask Zippy to play with her maracas, according to Le Drew. The cast included Jane Tucker, Rod Burton, and Freddy Marks, forming an eponymous singing trio. Jane married both of her co-stars, first Rod Burton in 1976, then Freddy Marks in 2016, before Freddy’s death in 2021. Behind the scenes, the group was known for their raunchy antics. One incident involved an archbishop touring Thames Television’s studios and witnessing the cast laughing as Zippy was mounted on George, engaging in what Le Drew called “hammer and tongs.” Sid, the show’s props man, made lewd remarks about the show’s director, Pamela Lonsdale, calling her “T*tsalina” and suggesting she had “a nice pair of Bristols.” The directors, frustrated by such behavior, reportedly shouted from the control room, “Make them stop!” during rehearsals. The puppeteers also altered the positions of zoo and farm animals to create suggestive poses. Zippy, in particular, was noted for smuggling carrots under the covers and becoming prone to masturbation during performances. George, another puppet, was reprimanded by Bungle for wetting the bed or leaving skid marks on the sheets, while Geoffrey Hayes, the show’s host, was sometimes seen humping in the background when he spoke directly to the camera. Geoffrey Hayes, the show’s host, was occasionally jealous of his puppet co-stars, feeling overshadowed by Zippy and George. He wrote in his own account that he feared being upstaged by the puppets. The cast also had a culture of heavy drinking, with members frequently turning up to rehearsals intoxicated. Le Drew expressed frustration that the puppets received more fan mail than he did, despite his central role in bringing Zippy to life. After the show ended, Le Drew left the entertainment industry and worked as a supermarket shelf stacker and later a taxi driver. In 2002, he told the BBC that starring in Rainbow had been “the 20 happiest years of my life.” He passed away in 2018 after battling pneumonia. The show also faced controversy beyond its internal dynamics. In 2015, a pastor named Daniel Erickson-Hull accused Rainbow of containing hidden messages promoting homosexuality. He pointed to the opening credits, claiming they included coded references to homosexuality infiltrating the Bible. Injuries were also a recurring issue. Le Drew joined the show in 1974 after Violet Philpott, the original puppeteer who created Zippy, left due to a back injury sustained from adopting an awkward position.