BBC Cuts Horrible Histories Scenes Featuring Slavery, Child Labour and Ancient Egyptian 'Blackface' Depiction

The BBC edited scenes involving slavery, child labour and white actors in darker make-up for UK audiences seven years ago, removing at least one full episode and several sketches from iPlayer to comply with its children's programming guidelines.

The corporation confirmed that the changes were made around 2019, not in response to recent coverage. The Times reported that at least seven sketches have been cut from the version available on BBC iPlayer, while one full episode has also been taken down. Several episodes have been edited for UK viewers, and one instalment has been removed from iPlayer entirely.

The BBC has not publicly identified the specific guideline concerns behind each individual removal, according to The Independent.

What Was Removed and Why Viewers Can't See It All

The Times reported that the removed episode dealt with slavery and child labour. Reporting on the wider edits indicates that the cut material involved slavery, child labour, graphic historical violence and make-up portrayals. These included sketches in which white actors used darker make-up to portray ancient Egyptians or Incas.

The reports do not specify when the full episode was taken down. The BBC has not published a list of the affected sketches, and it has not described any of the scenes as blackface.

Baynton's Earlier Comments on Egyptian Portrayals

Mathew Baynton, a mainstay of the show who played historical figures including Guy Fawkes and William Shakespeare, discussed the portrayal of Egyptians in an interview with Cherwell, the Oxford student newspaper, in December 2022. The interview covered his career and typecasting more broadly.

'We didn't do blackface, but you could argue that we did,' he said. The remark was specifically about the Egyptian portrayals, and he qualified it in the same breath. It was also cited by The Independent in its coverage of the edits and predates the latest reports.

Terry Deary, whose bestselling books inspired the series, was approached for comment on the latest edits. As of publication, he had not provided one, and Sky News reported that he had no comment.

Horrible Histories began on CBBC in 2009 and has since produced 11 series, the most recent of which aired in 2025, according to BAFTA and current programme listings. The series uses sketches, songs and comedy to explore historical events and figures, and has long used comedy to tackle difficult and sometimes graphic subjects.

It is aimed at a young audience, and BAFTA has previously honoured it with a special award.

The changes come shortly after the BBC removed sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look from iPlayer. The Independent reported on 21 September that the BBC said some of the material 'no longer works today'.

The two cases were reported separately, and reports so far do not suggest the decisions share the same basis. The corporation linked the Horrible Histories edits to its guidelines for children's programmes.

Neither the BBC's confirmation nor the reporting so far identifies every affected sketch or says whether other archive programmes are being reviewed.