Family Guy has officially killed off one of its longest-running characters, Ernie the Giant Chicken, after 23 seasons on air. The character, who first appeared in season two's episode 'Da Boom' in 2000, was Peter Griffin's archnemesis and featured in numerous epic fight scenes over the years.
The demise occurred in the season 23 episode 'The Chicken or the Meg', when Meg Griffin began dating Ernie's teenage chick, Nugget. After Ernie gave Meg an ultimatum to cut ties with Peter or end the relationship, Meg chose to decapitate the Giant Chicken instead. The scene showed Ernie's headless body running around before collapsing.
Executive producer Alec Sulkin confirmed the character's permanent exit, telling TVLine: 'I think that the chicken has gone the way of all flesh. Honestly, I feel like we got so many great set pieces out of the giant chicken fighting with Peter that they became hard to top. It’s a lot to ask of our production crew, and we may have just gotten the best out of that character.'
Fan reaction has been mixed. Some viewers expressed relief on Reddit, with one user saying: 'Maybe it’s just me, but the giant chicken bit was easily one of my least favourites on Family Guy.' Others mourned the loss, with comments such as 'rest in peace Ernie the Giant Chicken'.
The show has a history of killing off recurring characters, including Peter's father Francis, and three characters in season nine. Family Guy returns for season 24 in 2026. All 23 seasons are available to stream on Disney+ in the UK.
