Popular Australian cartoon Bluey has topped the US streaming charts and become one of the most-watched shows, despite facing backlash over a controversial ‘fat-shaming’ episode.
The latest instalment of the show, which was broadcast on ABC in Australia, showed the title character’s parents complaining about their weight. This sparked criticism from viewers who felt it promoted harmful messaging around body image.

ABC and BBC Studios Edit Episode Following Complaints
In response to the complaints, ABC and BBC Studios edited the episode titled “Exercise” to remove any references to fat shaming. The editing was done in collaboration with Ludo Studio, the production company behind Bluey.
“We take our responsibility to audiences very seriously,” said an ABC spokesperson in a statement. “We are aware that some viewers have raised concerns about an episode of Bluey which aired on ABC Kids last week.”
The spokesperson went on to say that after careful consideration, they had decided to edit the episode and remove any references to fat shaming. They also apologised for any offence caused by its original broadcast.
Popularity of Show Unaffected by Controversy
Despite this controversy, Bluey has still managed to top the US streaming charts and become one of the most-watched shows. It is currently available on Disney+ in both Australia and America, as well as other streaming services such as Stan and ABC iView in Australia.
The show follows six-year-old Bluey and her family as they go on adventures together around Brisbane. It has been praised for its positive representation of family life and its focus on imagination play between siblings.
Bluey continues to be a popular show despite facing backlash over a controversial ‘fat-shaming’ episode. The producers have taken responsibility for their mistake by editing out any references to fat shaming from the episode, while still maintaining its popularity among viewers worldwide.