Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig
Also known as Peppa Pig and Friends
Genre Animation
Created by Neville Astley
Mark Baker
Written by Neville Astley
Mark Baker
Phillip Hall
Directed by Neville Astley
Mark Baker
Phillip Hall (2011)
Joris van Hulzen (2011)
Narrated by John Sparkes
Theme music composer Julian Nott
Composer(s) Julian Nott
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 4
No. of episodes 212 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Phil Davies
Location(s) Animated in London
Running time 5 minutes (United Kingdom)
22 minutes (United States)
Production company(s) Astley Baker Davies Ltd
Distributor Contender Entertainment Group (2004)
Rubber Duck Entertainment (2006–2007)
E1 Kids (2009–2010)
eOne Family (2010–present)
Release
Original network Channel 5 and Nick Jr. UK (UK),
Cartoon Network (Japan)
Picture format 16:9 High definition
Original release 31 May 2004 – present
External links
Website

Peppa Pig is a British preschool animated television series directed and produced by Astley Baker Davies, which originally aired on 31 May 2004, and is distributed by E1 Kids. To date, four series have been aired. It went on a hiatus for two years and two months before re-premiering on 14 February 2015. It is shown in 180 countries.[1]

Background

Peppa Pig is a children's television programme broadcasting on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in the UK, Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. in the USA, ABC 4 Kids and Nick Jr. in Australia and Discovery Kids in Latin America, including Brazil. Each episode is approximately 5 minutes long. The show revolves around Peppa, an anthropomorphic female pig, and her family and friends. Each of her friends is a different species of mammal. Peppa's friends are the same age as she is, and Peppa's younger brother George's friends are the same age as him. Episodes tend to feature everyday activities such as attending playgroup, going swimming, visiting their grandparents, cousins, going to the playground or riding their bikes.

The characters wear clothes, live in houses, and drive cars, but still display some characteristics of the animals on which they are based. Peppa and her family snort like pigs during conversations in which they are speaking in English, the other animals make their respective noises when they talk, with some exhibiting other characteristics, such as the Rabbit family's communications of squeaking sounds and their enjoyment of carrots. The Rabbits are also the sole exception to the rule of human-like habitation, in that they live in a burrow in a hill, although it does have windows and is furnished in the same way as the other houses. The characters also blush when embarrassed and their mouths are used to express other emotions such as sadness, happiness, irritation, bewilderment and confusion. Although the mammals are anthropomorphic, other animals are not, for example, the ducks, Tiddles the tortoise, and Polly Parrot. In addition, the narrator of the series John Sparkes reinforces the action and humour, saying things like "Oh, dear" when something unfortunate happens (such as George starts crying) or "Look out!" when a character is doing something unsafe (such as Peppa riding her bicycle without looking where she's going).

The first series of 52 five-minute episodes started on Channel 5 on 31 May 2004, and had its American premiere as part of Cartoon Network's Tickle U preschool television programming block on 22 August 2005;[2] the show moved to Noggin in December 2007 and January 2008, being retained when that network changed names to Nick Jr. and currently continuing to be one of the network's most popular programmes. The American version is edited into a 22-minute programme with five segments. In the United Kingdom, it can also be seen on Nick Jr. (to the point that Nick Jr. Too has taken on the temporary rebranding "Nick Jr. Peppa" when airing month-long marathons of the series, usually every October), the same with Portugal, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia and Australia. In Taiwan, the show can be seen on Disney Junior. The second series of 52 episodes began on Channel 5 on Monday 4 September 2006, Lily Snowden-Fine as Peppa, amongst other cast changes. The third series started broadcasting on the Channel 5 kids block, Milkshake!

Characters

Peppa Pig
George
Mummy Pig
Daddy Pig

The Pigs

The Rabbits

The Sheep

The Cats

The Dogs

The Ponies

The Zebras

The Elephants

The Donkeys

The Foxes

The Kangaroos

The Wolves

The Goats

Other Characters

Peppa Pig at a personal appearance in the UK

Pets

Episodes and DVD releases

Books

There is a line of Personalised books in which your child can be added into the story with Peppa and her friends.[4] There is also a series of books based on Peppa Pig, one of which, Peppa Meets the Queen was written to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Film

A 15-minute film called Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots[5] was released on 14 February 2015[6] alongside several episodes of the TV series.[7] To date, it has grossed £2,326,328.[8]

Peppa Pig World Theme Park

Peppa Pig World a family theme park located in the New Forest, Hampshire,[9] opened on 9 April 2011 at Paultons Park, Hampshire, UK with 7 rides, an indoor play zone, a muddy puddles water splash park, smaller play areas and themed buildings.

Merchandise

Peppa Pig, the Entertainment One (eOne) brand, grossed over £200 million in UK merchandise sales in 2010, far exceeding the 2009 figure of £100 million. Additionally, for the first time in the brand's history, NPD figures for the year reveal that Peppa Pig was the number one pre-school property in the total toy market for 2010 – moving up four places from its previous position in 2009. Now in its seventh year, new licensees continue to join the Peppa Pig licensing programme, which currently has 63 licensees on board.[10]

In addition to episode DVDs, a variety of licensed Peppa Pig products are available, play including video games and other toys such as playsets, playing cards, vehicles, and stuffed toys. Merchandise has also been expanded to include household items such as bathroom products, stationery,[11] bed-linens, food, drink, clothing, and jewellery. Licensees include Holland Publishing in the United Kingdom.

Criticism, controversy, and safety concerns

Comparison of identical frame in original (top) and re-edited versions of the Series 1 episode "Bicycles", with cycle helmets added.

Peppa and her family did not wear safety belts in automobile scenes the first two series. After receiving several complaints, Astley Baker Davies announced that all future animation would include characters wearing safety belts, and that the relevant scenes in the first two series would be re-animated to include them.[12] Similar changes were also made to early episodes with characters riding bicycles to add cycle helmets, which were not included in the original versions.[13]

In April 2010, during the UK General Election campaign, E1 Entertainment confirmed Peppa would not be attending the launch of the UK Labour Party's families manifesto "in the interests of avoiding any controversy or misunderstanding". Peppa had previously been used to promote the Labour government's Sure Start programme.[1]

In 2012, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation received a complaint that the episode "Mister Skinnylegs" was not appropriate for Australian audiences, since it encouraged befriending spiders. Given the toxicity and widespread distribution of some dangerous Australian spiders, notably the common Redback Spider, the complaint was upheld and the episode would no longer screen on the ABC.[14]

In late May 2014, the ABC's Mark Scott expressed fears about the future of Peppa on Australian television, given Australian federal budget cuts to ABC funding that were said to affect its ability to pay for, and broadcast, overseas media products such as Peppa Pig. Australian media noted the character's appeal to Australian toddlers and echoed concerns about the future of her Australian distribution rights. Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce made reference to the character as a menu item at a Thai restaurant, while conservative columnist Piers Akerman thought that Peppa "pushes a weird feminist line".[15] On 28 May 2014, then-Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull quelled fears about the future of Peppa Pig on Australian TV, by tweeting that: "Contrary to media rumours, Peppa's is one snout we are happy to have in the ABC trough".[16]

During September 2015, the cartoon once again entered the realm of political parody, as commentators referenced it when making light of the supposed Piggate scandal revolving around David Cameron.[17]

Awards and nominations

Awards
Nominations

Software

Peppa Pig the Game

Peppa Pig the game was developed by Ubisoft and published by Pinnacle Inc., it was released on 27 November 2009 for the Nintendo Wii console and Nintendo DS hand-held game system. It is a children's video game to learn and play, and it contains 11 games and activities.

Peppa Pig: Fun and Games

Peppa Pig: Fun and Games was developed by Ubisoft and published by Pinnacle Inc., it was released on 22 October 2010 for the Nintendo Wii console and Nintendo DS hand-held game system.

References

  1. 1 2 "Peppa Pig moved from Labour event". BBC News. 27 April 2010.
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV3MoSfZKkA
  3. NickJr. Peppa Pig Character Reference, Nickelodeon, 20 December 2013
  4. "Personalised Peppa Pig Childrens Books". PeppaPigAndMe. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  5. "PEPPA PIG: THE GOLDEN BOOTS - British Board of Film Classification". Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  6. Simmy Richman (13 February 2015). "TV cartoon Peppa Pig – now worth $1bn a year – is making the leap to the big screen". The Independent. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  7. "Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots review". Den of Geek. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  8. "Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo". Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  9. "Paultons Family Theme Park - Home of Peppa Pig World - New Forest". Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  10. "Record-breaking year for Peppa Pig | LTW Magazine". Ltwmag.com. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  11. "Personalised Childrens Books". Penwizard. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  12. "Peppa Pig in seatbelt safety row". BBC. 15 January 2009.
  13. Loveday, Samantha (14 December 2010). "ABD adds seatbelts to Peppa Pig episodes | Latest news from the licensing industry". Licensing.biz. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  14. "About the ABC: Peppa Pig, (received), 6th August 2012".
  15. Maley, Jacqueline (28 May 2014). "Peppa Pig held aloft as sacrifice to god of prosperity". The Age. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  16. "Malcolm Turnbull on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  17. "Peppa Piggate: the trial of David Cameron". The Poke. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  18. "2012 Children's Pre-School Animation | BAFTA Awards". BAFTA. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  19. "2011 Children's Pre-School Animation | BAFTA Awards". BAFTA. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  20. "2005 - The Cristal for a TV production". AIAFF. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  21. 1 2 3 "Children's in 2013 | BAFTA Awards". BAFTA. Retrieved 6 September 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peppa Pig.
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