The BBC has removed an episode of Horrible Histories from iPlayer, prompting outrage from viewers on social media. Series one, episode six is no longer available to watch, along with at least seven individual scenes that have reportedly been taken down.
Episode content and removals
The episode reportedly featured slavery with Victorian child workers and chimney sweeps. One of the removed episodes included a sketch intended to teach children about slavery in ancient Rome, portraying a Roman galley as though it were an airline flight, with enslaved rowers chained to their oars and warned that they would be unable to escape if the vessel sank.
Another sketch focused on the hazardous conditions faced by Victorian child chimney sweeps, showing a young boy being sent into a narrow chimney and instructed: "Try not to die."
Additional sketches cut
Among the scenes reportedly removed were sketches in which white actors appeared in darker make-up while portraying ancient Egyptians or Incas. A separate sketch no longer available on BBC iPlayer is said to have depicted Madame Tussaud creating wax masks using severed heads.
The series, based on the bestselling book series by Terry Deary, originally ran from 2009 to 2014 for five series of thirteen half-hour episodes, with additional one-off seasonal and Olympic specials. The CBBC series continued with a new cast and new series in later years.
BBC statement and context
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "The edits to Horrible Histories were made seven years ago, in consultation with the programme makers, to ensure the series meets our editorial guidelines for children's programmes."
The move follows the BBC's decision earlier this month to remove almost a dozen sketches from That Mitchell And Webb Look, saying the material 'no longer works today'. Eleven sketches were cut from the Bafta-winning programme, which starred David Mitchell and Robert Webb and originally aired between 2006 and 2010. Among those removed was a sketch understood to feature the pair satirising racism while wearing blackface.
The BBC faced similar scrutiny in 2020 over Little Britain, the sketch series starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, which attracted controversy over its portrayal of characters from different ethnic backgrounds.
Viewers expressed their upset online. On X (formerly known as Twitter), @lovingkosch wrote: "They've removed historical wife swap from BBC iPlayer" as @txrdisfiles responded: "SAY IT ISNT TRUE". Other users were also in disbelief, as @lou_gou_ added: "This is a genuine travesty. What on earth is going on?!" and @adamnotwarlock echoed: "Yes... Historical wife swap, the thing I was literally set to watch as A-level prep work... Let's get rid of that".
