Thanks for the memories, Caroll Spinney.
You may not be able to recognise the face of Caroll Spinney immediately, but we bet you’ve seen him on TV before.
Sesame Street has been, and remains a feature of childhoods around the world for years now, but it will never be the same again.
Spinney, who has played the iconic character of Big Bird for just under 50 years, has announced his retirement from the role.
The 84-year-old man has decided to call it a day on Sesame Street. For most of the 50 years he spent as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, he physically portrayed the characters, as well as doing the voices.
He stopped physically playing Big Bird in 2015, as it was too physically taxing. It required him keeping his arm raised high in the air for long periods of time.
Speaking to the New York Times, Spinney said that: “Playing Big Bird is one of the most joyous things of my life.”
When asked if he had any regrets from his time on Sesame Street, he said: “No, not at all.”
Big Bird has been left in good hands though, as Matt Vogel, who already plays Kermit the Frog and other legendary characters, will takeover.
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