BBC responds to reports of Horrible Histories episode cuts and sketches dropped from iPlayer

The BBC has issued a response following reports that it has edited episodes of Horrible Histories and pulled one instalment from BBC iPlayer.

It comes at a time of heightened interest in such decisions, following recent revisions made to archive episodes of That Mitchell & Webb Look.

However, in the case of Horrible Histories, the re-edits aren't actually 'new' – the BBC has said that they were made seven years ago, and only now have they been noticed.

According to The Times, at least seven sketches or scenes were removed from the CBBC sketch show, in addition to a full episode featuring storylines on slavery, Victorian child labour and chimney sweeps.

The story has been widely picked up in recent days, stirring up the usual debate about how best to handle dated content and prompting the broadcaster to clarify its process.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson told Radio Times: "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."

Among the material said to have been removed is a sketch in which white actors wore darker make-up to portray ancient Incas or Egyptians.

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Horrible Histories actor and recent Taskmaster contestant Mathew Baynton had previously anticipated their older sketches becoming controversial.

In 2022, during an interview with Oxford University's Cherwell newspaper (via The Telegraph), he said: "We didn't do blackface, for example, but you could argue that we did.

"Because I played Egyptians, for example, where you'd get a spray tan, essentially, and stand in your pants."

Baynton added: "I'm sure now that the core ensemble is more diverse than we were as a core ensemble, where the approach then was basically a bunch of white people."

At the time of his remarks, a BBC spokesperson responded: "Horrible Histories is a comedy sketch show that uses a troupe of actors across a variety of roles.

"Since it began on the BBC 15 years ago, we have done a lot of work to increase diverse representation within the cast and we now explore a wider range of global history stories to authentically represent our audiences."

The pulled episode also explained ancient Roman slavery through an airline-flight parody and depicted Victorian children as exploited child labourers seeking compensation.

Horrible Histories is based on Terry Deary's bestselling book series of the same name, which mixes grisly facts with comedy to spark children's interest in the past.

The series began on CBBC in 2009 and has run across 11 seasons, becoming one of the channel's best-known and most-acclaimed shows.

Arguably, the most enduring episodes are in the first five seasons, when the writing staff included the popular Them There comedy troupe who went on to make Sky's Yonderland and BBC One's Ghosts.

That core team includes Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond.

Watch a trailer for upcoming film Ghosts: The Possession of Button House below:

Horrible Histories is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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