Bluey episode temporarily removed from ABC streamer iView for unexpected reason

An episode for the beloved Aussie children’s program Bluey has been pulled from ABC’s streaming platform, iView for an unexpected reason.

An episode for the beloved Aussie children’s program Bluey has been pulled from ABC’s streaming platform, iView.

While the popular Season 2 episode, titled ‘Hammerbarn’, is still available to stream on Disney+ in the US and the UK, it no longer appears on ABC’s streaming service in Australia.

The much-loved episode, in which Bluey and the Heeler family visit their local hardware store, was temporarily removed in recent days as chain store Bunnings restocked their line of Bluey-themed garden gnomes and other show-related merchandise.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the deal was struck between the BBC Studios, which holds the merchandising rights for the series, and the hardware giant. However, the government-funded ABC cannot affiliate itself with a brand or partnership and thus banned the episode from iView for the duration of the Bunnings campaign.

Bluey’s popular Season 2 episode titled Hammerbarn has been temporarily removed from ABC’s streaming platform iView. Picture: ABC

“As the ABC cannot align with a commercial brand or partnership, the Bluey episode ‘Hammerbarn’ will temporarily be unavailable on ABC iView,” an ABC representative told news.com.au.

“‘Hammerbarn’ will return to ABC iView at a later date. All other episodes of Bluey seasons 1-3 remain on ABC iView for Bluey fans to enjoy.”

A Bunnings representative has told news.com.au that the company is disappointed with the removal of the episode.

“We are disappointed that the broadcaster has chosen to remove the popular ‘Hammerbarn’ episode, particularly given Bluey fans can buy merchandise from a range of retailers and sites both in Australia and overseas,” Bunnings spokesperson Melissa O’Neill told us.

“It’s been great to see so many kids and their parents enjoying the Bluey experience in our stores and, unlike last year, it’s sad to think that they can’t go home and enjoy the episode.”

In the episode, Bluey and her family visit a hardware store.

The Bunnings campaign first kicked off last year, with the hardware giant selling Bluey gnomes similar to those that feature in the ‘Hammerbarn’ episode.

Bunnings also renamed six of its warehouse stores Hammerbarn earlier this year, and this week they reignited their campaign with a new range of merchandise while also holding Bluey-themed workshops in stores.

Kate McMahon, the co-host of the Bluey podcast Gotta Be Done has since weighed in on the move to pull the episode from the streamer.

“Hammerbarn is one of the most iconic Bluey episodes and so to have it removed from the platform is a shame,” McMahon said, as per the Daily Telegraph.

McMahon noted that Bluey has had many other partnerships in the past, so she’s “curious” why this one led to a removal on an episode.

The move comes after Bunnings released brand new Bluey merchandise this week. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“Will ABC review all episodes now given Bluey has so many commercial partnerships?” she wondered.

“A lot of parents rely on an episode of Bluey to get them through the day so to lose one like this is really tough.’’

The development comes amid figures that indicate the homegrown Aussie animation is one of the best TV shows to come out of Australia.

The government-funded ABC cannot align with a commercial brand or partnership and thus banned the episode from iview. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The viewership figures speak for themselves, with millions of people inviting Bluey into their homes.

“In 2024, Australians couldn’t get enough of our favourite Blue Heeler with 96 million hours of Bluey content viewed on ABC iview,” Jennifer Collins, ABC’s Director of Screen, told news.com.au earlier this month.

“We’re incredibly proud that Bluey has captured the hearts and minds of audiences across the globe. The series is quintessentially Australian and has the remarkable ability to resonate across generations, making it a standout in children’s television content.”

But that’s almost nothing compared to the success it had in the US where it broadcasts on Disney+. Reports were it had 55.62 billion minutes of viewing time in 2024, which is 927 million hours or 38.6 million days, making it the most streamed show in the US.

Originally published as Bluey episode temporarily removed from ABC streamer iView for unexpected reason