BBC star unrecognisable 24 years after playing iconic Lazy Town role

A BBC child star, who is known by many for her distinctive pink hairstyle now looks unrecognisable after dramatic hair change

A former child star, who rose to prominence 23 years ago on a legendary television programme, has left admirers gobsmacked with her dramatic makeover.

Now aged 33, Shelby Young became recognised for playing Stephanie in the unaired Lazy Town pilot episode, a character many remember for her signature pink hairstyle.

Posting on TikTok, Shelby, who went on to appear in Wild Child and American Horror Story, uploaded a photograph of herself now wearing brunette tresses. She wrote alongside the image: “I don’t have pink hair anymore, but there was a time…”

This was accompanied by multiple photographs from her stint on the programme, with the caption reading: “(Jk it was a wig) some set pics from filming the pilot back in 2002!”

Despite Shelby only playing the character on one occasion, she remained memorable to countless viewers before Julianna Rose Mauriello assumed the role for the opening two series.

Julianna was subsequently succeeded by actress Chloe Lang for the third and fourth series of the programme, which broadcast from 2004 to 2007.

For those requiring a reminder, the CBeebies and CBBC programme centres on Stephanie as she relocates to the fittingly-named Lazy Town to reside with her uncle, Mayor Meanswell.

Upon her arrival, she’s astonished to find that the inhabitants maintain extremely sedentary lifestyles and sets out on a quest to motivate them towards greater activity and wellness. Fans took to the comments section of the viral TikTok video to share their nostalgia.

One fan commented: “Thank you for my childhood”. Another reminisced: “When I tell you I was obsessed with Lazy Town, I literally had a lazy town umbrella and used to watch it all the time.”

A third fan confessed: “I was SO jealous of you when I was a kid.” While another simply stated: “Lazy Town I miss you.”

Chloe Lang, who also starred in the beloved children’s show Lazy Town, has previously shared her experiences and fond memories of filming in Iceland.

In a 2023 interview with The Express, she revealed: “I keep in touch with so many people. We were like a family. I try and go back to Iceland every summer because of everyone I want to see but also because it’s so beautiful – I can never get enough of it.”

She also expressed admiration for the show’s creator Magnus Scheving, stating: “He really was very inspiring. Lazy Town was his baby.

“It was his creation and he was very particular and passionate about how he wanted things to be executed.

“Being around that every day – the energy he put behind all of his ideas; all the costumes, all the set, the designs, the props – everything was just out of this world.”