Bluey, the popular ABC kids show, has sparked a major controversy with its latest episode Exercise.
The ninth episode of Season 3 aired on April 16 and showed Bandit and Chilli (Bluey and Bingo’s parents) weighing themselves. Bandit, the dad character, then sighs when he sees how much he weighs and grabs hold of his stomach while frowning.
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After this, Bandit becomes motivated to exercise more and eventually the whole family ends up working out together in their backyard.
Many viewers instantly jumped online and criticised the Bluey episode in question for sending children the message that weight rather than health is the reason exercise is important.
On Twitter, one user wrote, “I adore @OfficialBlueyTV & the messages it sends. Except in the latest episode Exercise, where weight becomes a trigger for exercise. Watching Bandit stand on scale & squeeze his belly, frowning, sends a msg to kids that fat = bad & exercise = weight loss. V upsetting,” while another said:
“I love Bluey but was shocked by that moment.”
One viewer even Tweeted, “We watched today’s new Bluey episode on catch-up and I tuned out 10 seconds in when Bandit stood on a set of scales because Bluey has a really, really damaging way of portraying food, exercise and being ‘healthy.’”
However, some Bluey fans came to the show’s defence online.
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“Imagine Tweeting outrage at a children’s cartoon, because the Dad grabs his tummy and weighs a bit more than he’d like. Apparently to some it’s irresponsible of Bluey to send a message that it’s important to maintain a healthy weight and do exercise,” one fan said on Twitter.
Another fan simply said that they loved the “cute” episode.
“Bluey’s Exercise episode was so cute that it made me sobby.”
Despite some defending it, the controversial episode has been edited amidst the claims of ‘fatphobia’. Specifically, the opening scene of Bandit weighing himself and then saying that he needs to exercise has been cut from the episode.
The ABC released a statement on May 5, explaining why the episode had been edited.
“The recent episode of Bluey, Exercise, has been republished by the ABC following a decision by the makers of the program. The new version provides families with the opportunity to manage important conversations in their own way.”
“As the home of Bluey, the ABC supports the decision to re-edit the episode on our platforms.”
International broadcasters will also now air the edited version of the episode.
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