A beloved episode of the popular children’s animated series, “Bluey,” has been unexpectedly pulled from its primary streaming platform in Australia, sparking widespread discussion among fans and industry observers alike. The season two installment, famously titled “Hammerbarn,” found itself in temporary limbo on ABC iview, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s dedicated on-demand service, due to an unforeseen entanglement with commercial interests.
The root cause of this temporary removal lies in a unique commercial partnership between BBC Studios, the international distributor of “Bluey,” and Bunnings, a prominent Australian hardware store chain. While the episode itself does not explicitly name Bunnings, depicting instead the fictional “Hammerbarn” store, the real-world collaboration involving branded merchandise created a conflict with the ABC’s strict broadcasting ethics regarding commercial alignment.
A representative for the ABC clarified their position, stating that the public broadcaster cannot align with any commercial brand or partnership. Consequently, the “Bluey episode” “Hammerbarn” had to be temporarily suspended from ABC iview while the associated Bunnings “Hammerbarn” campaign remained active, upholding the network’s commitment to impartiality and non-commercial principles.
The specific point of contention revolves around “Hammerbarn merchandise” currently being sold by Bunnings as part of this collaboration. Despite the in-episode depiction of a fictional store, the real-world sale of tote bags, socks, and key rings bearing the “Hammerbarn” name created a direct commercial link that the ABC found problematic for its public broadcasting mandate.
The decision to pull the popular episode was met with disappointment from Bunnings. A spokesperson expressed regret, emphasizing the joy children and parents have found in the “Bluey experience” within their stores and lamenting the inability for fans to then enjoy the corresponding episode at home after engaging with the merchandise.
This incident highlights the broader complexities surrounding global children’s television phenomena like “Bluey,” which often attract lucrative commercial partnerships. While the show enjoys immense popularity and merchandise sales across various retailers internationally, the specific “streaming removal” on ABC iview underscores the unique regulatory environment of public broadcasters in Australia.
The ABC has confirmed that the “Hammerbarn episode” will eventually return to iview at a later date, once the “commercial partnership” campaign concludes. Importantly, fans outside Australia are largely unaffected by this localized “streaming controversy,” as the episode remains available in the United States and on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom, ensuring continued global accessibility for the beloved animated series.
