ABC removes popular Bluey episode from streaming platform due to Bunnings collaboration
An episode of the kids show Bluey has been stripped from a streaming platform after a collaboration Bunnings, with some parents slamming the “silly” move.
The ABC has temporarily removed the popular season 2 episode Hammerbarn from its platform ABC iview.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Bluey Bunnings anger.
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Bunnings is selling a host of Bluey-related merchandise including garden gnomes, hats and toys.
While this collab is ongoing the ABC has decided to pull the episode off its streaming service because, as a government-funded station, it is not allowed to enter into any commercial partnerships.
The ABC has always strayed away from mentioning brand names, even referring to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne as Docklands Stadium.
Parents who realised the episode had been taken down were left confused as to why.
“No wonder I couldn’t find it today and it’s all my daughter wanted to watch! She asked constantly today if she could watch Hammerbarn on the TV,” one woman said.
“That’s one of my kids’ favourite episodes. This is just silly taking this episode away. It’s a kids show. So does that mean we take the book off the shelves too. I guess we just stop watching ABC kids until they put it back on,” another parent said.
Commentator Cath Webber told Sunrise she didn’t think Bunnings would be too upset about the episode takedown.
“It can get pretty tricky with a commercial partnership, we don’t want those sneaking in particularly all the time to the ABC,” she said.
“It’s getting kids to go outside, gardening ... I kind of like the feel of this commercial partnership, but it’s not a partnership with the ABC.
“I just feel sorry for parents because the kid that comes home, Bluey can cause a lot of feelings in a household, lots of excitement. If you can’t get the Hammerbarn episode, good luck to the parents trying to explain why.”
Once the promotion with Bunnings has ended the episode will return to the ABC iview platform.
Originally published on 7NEWS
