This 'Peppa Pig' Episode Was So Controversial, It Was Banned in Australia
Despite being a children's cartoon, Peppa Pig regularly gets into scandals. Here's what caused one of its episodes to be banned in Australia.
More than 20 years after its first broadcast on British Channel 5, Peppa Pig has aired in 180 countries worldwide. Theme parks have opened in Milan, Hampshire, and Shanghai, and the official YouTube channel has amassed over 40 million subscribers.
Despite being a kind and funny show for kids, Peppa Pig has been involved in several controversies.
The Episode "Mister Skinny Legs" Was Banned in Australia Because of Spiders
One episode, "Mister Skinny Legs," nearly led to a tragedy. In this episode, George finds a spider, and it turns out that the rest of the family is afraid of it.
Why it was controversial: What's considered harmless in Britain can be deadly in Australia. There are many poisonous spiders on the continent, so children are taught from an early age to steer clear of danger.
"Mister Skinny Legs" was not released on Australian TV but ended up on the channel's online streaming. Parents quickly reported this oversight, which probably saved many children's health and lives.
'Peppa Pig' Creators Were Forced to Re-Animate Many Episodes to Add Seat Belts
However, that's not the only reason Peppa Pig has received complaints. In 2010, the creators re-animated all episodes of the show to ensure that the main character was always wearing a seatbelt while in a car.
What creators said: Mark Baker, co-owner of the animation studio Astley Baker Davies, told that Peppa Pig would always be buckled up from then on so as not to set a bad example for children.
Baker added that when the artists first started creating the cartoon, they did not realize its potential influence on children.
The changes were prompted by a complaint from a woman whose little daughter refused to buckle up, explaining that Peppa Pig never does so.
'Peppa Pig' Was Accused of Sexism by the London Fire Brigade
Additionally, Peppa Pig was once criticized by the London Fire Brigade for using the word "fireman," which was deemed sexist. On its X account, the London Fire Brigade wrote:
“Come on @peppapig, we've not been firemen for 30 years. You have a huge influence on kids & using out of date stereotypical gender specific wording prevents young girls from becoming firefighters.”
All of this confirms once again how much responsibility lies with the creators of children's series. This responsibility is tenfold for Peppa Pig, one of the most popular children's shows in the world.
