'Teletubbies' Tinky Winky actor dies after collapsing on street

An actor best known for playing one of the Teletubbies has died after collapsing on a street in the UK.

Simon Shelton Barnes died just four days after his 52nd birthday after neighbours saw him collapse on a street in Liverpool, The Sun reports. His cause of death has not been released.

A resident told the Daily Mirror it’s believed he died of hypothermia.

Barnes was a trained ballet dancer and choreographer before he played the role of Tinky Winky, the purple Teletubby, between 1998-2001.

His co-star John Simmit, who played the green Teletubby Dipsy, paid tribute to Barnes on Twitter along with a photo of the four actors who played the Teletubbies.

“What a week! RIP Simon Shelton aka Tinky Winky: remembering the many good times. Rest easy,” he tweeted.

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Shelton Barnes' niece Emily Atack, best known for her role as Charlotte on UK sitcom the Inbetweeners, also paid tribute to the late actor.

"My wonderful uncle Simon Barnes has been taken from us all so suddenly. The kindest and most talented man you could ever wish to meet. Loved by all who knew him, and will be forever. X," Atack wrote on Instagram.

The Teletubbies first aired in the UK on March 31, 1997 and became huge hit. BBC Worldwide also released a CD single based on the series which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in December 1997.

Barnes told the BBC in a 2008 interview he had no idea the show would become a hit.

“I didn’t know it would be as big as it was, but I did know as soon as I started working on it that it had something special,” he said.