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(#2) Bob the Builder
- Chris Evans, Richard Briers, Greg Proops, June Whitfield, Neil Morrissey, Colin McFarlane, Rupert Degas, Lorelei King, Kate Harbour, Rob Rackstraw, Vincent Marzello, Alan Marriott, David Menkin, Emma Tate, Lachele Carl
Parents were shocked by a scene in the 1999 Bob The Builder Christmas special, where the cheery handyman loses his cool wrestling with a sheet of wallpaper and allegedly can be heard muttering the F-word. Despite the show's makers insisting that actor Neil Morrissey kept things clean during the recording, the episode - released on VHS only - was withdrawn to be on the safe side. This statement was issued on behalf of Bob and his friends:
We received a small number of complaints just after its release in 1999. To avoid any further confusion the decision was made to re-master the tape. He was definitely not swearing - his words were muffled because he was stuck to a piece of wallpaper at the time.
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(#8) Peppa Pig
- John Sparkes, Morwenna Banks, Alice May
A seemingly innocuous 2012 episode of Peppa Pig telling viewers that "spiders are very, very small and they can't hurt you" didn't go over very well in Australia. In that country, spiders come in far bigger and deadlier forms. This made Peppa's message of goodwill towards them come across as irresponsible.
Nick Jr.'s Australian arm was initially resistant to banning the episode, stating that the friendly and cartoonish way the troublesome spider was shown meant that it "lessens any impact of scariness or danger." But after continual complaints, the network eventually bowed to the pressure and removed the episode from its rotation in the country.
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(#10) Captain Pugwash
- Peter Hawkins, Noel Coleman
A long-running urban legend about this nautical-themed show is that it was canceled because of some suggestive character names, whipping up a storm about something that never happened. It's easy to see why people got the wrong idea with names like Master Mate and Pirate Willy.
Creator John Ryan was, according to his daughter, "traumatized" when these claims were made by British tabloids in the '70s. Inaccurate reporting of additional fake names like "Seaman Staines" and "Roger the Cabin Boy" led Ryan to sue two publications for libel. He won his suit in 1991 and donated the money to lifeboat charities.
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(#6) Steven Universe
- Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno Hall
Steven Universe's inclusion of queer relationships has earned it a lot of praise. However, in 2016, Cartoon Network's UK branch decided to remove a scene in which two female characters share an intimate moment. Fans were quick to point out the hypocrisy in the decision, given that two characters of the opposite sex kiss in the same episode, but the network stood by its decision:
The US broadcast system requires that shows are marked with a rating - in this case, PG (parental guidance necessary). In the UK we have to ensure everything on air is suitable for kids of any age at any time. We do feel that the slightly edited version is more comfortable for local kids and their parents... Be assured that as a channel and network we celebrate diversity - evident across many of our shows and characters.
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(#4) SpongeBob SquarePants
- Tom Kenny, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke
Since his debut in 1999, this humble undersea fry cook has taken a lot of heat. When SpongeBob SquarePants appeared in a 2005 video alongside other cartoon characters promoting tolerance, one conservative group interpreted it as a "pro-homosexual video" that was "potentially brainwashing kids." The Ukrainian National Expert Commission for Protecting Public Morality came to a similar conclusion about the show in 2012, accusing Patrick Star of being "a real threat to children."
In addition to pushing the "gay agenda," the cartoon has also been accused on separate occasions of furthering both liberal and conservative agendas. And in 2009, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood got riled up about a Burger King ad that remixed "Baby Got Back" to "Square Butts" in honor of SpongeBob. The advocacy group said it "objectified women."
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(#1) Teletubbies
- Toyah Willcox, Eric Sykes, Penelope Keith, Pui Fan Lee, Rolf Saxon, Sandra Dickinson, Dave Thompson, Tim Whitnall, Simon Shelton, Nikky Smedley, Mark Heenehan, Jessica Smith, John Simmit
The popular British TV show Teletubbies became controversial for one, big purple reason: Tinky Winky. Reverend Jerry Falwell was convinced that the creature's choice of bag, his color, and his triangular antenna - the latter two, in his words, symbolizing "gay pride" - weren't things that should be on television. "As a Christian I feel that role modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children," he said.
The BBC responded: "As far as we are concerned Tinky Winky is simply a sweet, technological baby with a magic bag."
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The fact is that many parents try to use TV programs to appease their children in many situations. There is no doubt that children's programs are specially launched for children, but the content of many children's programs seems to have caused a lot of controversies. Children's programs are often criticized because the content or images contained in some children's programs are considered to be misleading to children's behavior and cognition and do not meet children's viewing standards. It is important to choose the most beneficial children's program.
Let us take a look at the 14 most popular children's shows that are surprisingly controversial, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Teletubbies, Steven Universe, etc. The random tool introduced basic information about them.
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