A popular children’s TV show has had some of its scenes removed to comply with editorial guidelines.
Certain scenes from Horrible Histories have been taken out of the show to make sure it fits BBC editorial guidelines for children’s TV.
The BAFTA award-winning show has had an episode completely removed and others being heavily edited.
Horrible Histories scenes removed
An episode that featured slavery, Victorian child workers, and chimney sweeps has been removed, according to the Times.
The episode reportedly featured a sketch that spoke about slavery in Rome that used a Roman galley as an airline flight with enslaved rowers who were chained to their oars.
The slaves were told they would not be allowed to escape if the ship sunk.
Around seven other scenes involving child slavery and where white actors used darker makeup to portray ancient Egyptians or Incas have also been removed.
Victorian children were sent into dangerously narrow chimneys in another scene with a young boy told to ‘try not to die’.
A sketch depicting Madame Tussaud making wax masks from severed heads has also been taken off BBC iPlayer.
Mathew Baynton, who played multiple characters in the show, spoke to the Telegraph in 2022 saying it could be argued that the show had done "blackface".
He said: "We didn't do blackface, for example, but you could argue that we did.
"Because I played Egyptians, you know, for example, where you'd get a spray tan, essentially, and stand in your pants."
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.”
Other shows that have been edited by the BBC
Horrible Histories is not the only TV show to have scenes removed.
Sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look were also taken out after they decided they "don’t work".
One of the sketches reportedly involved David Mitchell and Robert Webb satirising racism.
Little Britain, starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, has also been controversial because of its portrayals of characters from different ethnic groups.
Do you think it was the right decision to remove these scenes from Horrible Histories? Let us know in the comments.
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