Horrible Histories scenes removed from BBC iPlayer under children's guidelines

Certain scenes from Horrible Histories have been removed or edited to ensure the programme meets BBC editorial guidelines for children's television, with one episode taken out completely. Sky News reported on 28 September that the BAFTA award-winning children's history comedy has undergone substantial alterations, while The Times detailed a number of sketches no longer available in their original form.

The changes affect material involving slavery, child labour and portrayals of historical figures from different ethnic backgrounds. The BBC has said the edits were not newly made in 2026, but were carried out seven years earlier in consultation with the programme makers. Horrible Histories is the long-running CBBC sketch series based on Terry Deary's books and uses comedy to present historical events and figures to younger audiences.

Scene or sketch	Reported change
Episode featuring slavery, Victorian child workers and chimney sweeps	Removed completely.
Roman slavery airline sketch	Included in the removed episode. Enslaved rowers were shown chained to their oars and told they could not escape if the ship sank.
Around seven scenes involving child slavery	Removed.
Scenes with white actors using darker make-up to portray ancient Egyptians or Incas	Removed.
Victorian chimney sweep scene	Included a young boy being sent into a dangerously narrow chimney and told to “try not to die”.
Madame Tussaud severed-heads sketch	Removed from BBC iPlayer.

Horrible Histories scenes removed from BBC iPlayer

The Times reported that one complete episode featured a combination of sketches dealing with slavery, Victorian child workers and chimney sweeps. Among its scenes was a Roman slavery sketch that presented a galley as if it were an airline flight. Enslaved rowers were shown chained to their oars and told that, if the ship sank, they would not be allowed to escape.

Around seven other scenes involving child slavery have also been removed, according to The Times. Further cuts were made to scenes in which white actors used darker make-up while portraying ancient Egyptians or Incas. Those alterations form part of the wider set of edits made to the children's series.

The same reporting identified a Victorian chimney sweep scene in which children were sent into dangerously narrow chimneys. A young boy in the sketch was told to “try not to die”. Another removed sketch depicted Madame Tussaud making wax masks from severed heads, and that material has also been taken off BBC iPlayer.

What the BBC says about the Horrible Histories edits

The BBC has stressed that the changes were made years ago rather than as part of a new round of editing. In a statement given on 28 September, a BBC spokesperson said: “The edits to Horrible Histories were made seven years ago, in consultation with the programme makers, to ensure the series meets our editorial guidelines for children's programmes.”

That explanation places the alterations within the BBC's standards for children's programming rather than presenting them as a response made specifically in 2026. Sky News reported that the changes were intended to make sure the programme complied with those editorial guidelines.

The result is that viewers using BBC iPlayer now encounter versions of parts of Horrible Histories that differ from the original material, while at least one episode is unavailable in full. The reported edits range from the removal of individual sketches to the deletion of an entire episode containing several of the scenes in question.

Mathew Baynton previously addressed portrayals in the show

One of the issues raised by the edits concerns scenes in which white performers used darker make-up to portray historical people including ancient Egyptians. Mathew Baynton, who played multiple characters in Horrible Histories, discussed that kind of portrayal in comments reported by The Telegraph in 2022.

Baynton said: “We didn't do blackface, for example, but you could argue that we did. Because I played Egyptians, you know, for example, where you'd get a spray tan, essentially, and stand in your pants.”

The Times reported that scenes involving white actors using darker make-up to play ancient Egyptians or Incas are among the material that has been removed. Baynton's earlier comments addressed how such performances could be interpreted, while the later edits mean some of those portrayals are no longer available through the current iPlayer versions.

Horrible Histories is part of a wider pattern of archive edits

Horrible Histories is not the only BBC comedy to have had older material removed. Sky News reported that sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look have also been taken out after David Mitchell and Robert Webb decided they “don't work”. One of those sketches involved the pair satirising racism.

Little Britain, starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, has also faced controversy over portrayals of characters from different ethnic groups. Together, those examples show how broadcasters and programme makers have revisited parts of older comedy catalogues and reconsidered whether particular sketches should remain available in the same form.

The circumstances are not identical in each case. For Horrible Histories, the BBC's stated reason is specifically that the edits were made to ensure the programme met its editorial guidelines for children's programmes, and that the process was undertaken in consultation with the programme makers seven years ago.

What has changed for viewers searching on iPlayer

For viewers looking for older Horrible Histories episodes on BBC iPlayer, the most significant practical change is that one episode is no longer available in its original entirety. Other material remains accessible only after particular scenes have been removed or heavily edited.

The changes mean that a search for individual sketches remembered from the programme may not produce the version a viewer previously saw. The Roman galley sketch involving enslaved rowers, scenes involving child slavery, portrayals using darker make-up and the Madame Tussaud severed-heads sketch are among the material reported as removed.

• One episode: removed completely.
• Child slavery material: around seven other scenes removed.
• Historical portrayals: scenes involving darker make-up used by white actors to portray Egyptians or Incas removed.
• Madame Tussaud sketch: no longer available on BBC iPlayer.
• BBC explanation: the edits were made seven years ago in consultation with the programme makers.

What happens next for Horrible Histories on iPlayer

The BBC's statement indicates that the current edits are the result of decisions already made seven years ago, rather than changes introduced alongside the latest reporting. As a result, viewers looking through the Horrible Histories archive on iPlayer will encounter the versions that reflect those earlier editorial decisions.

The programme remains a long-running children's history comedy associated with CBBC and Terry Deary's books, but selected material is no longer presented as it originally appeared. The BBC's stated position is that those changes were made so the series would meet its editorial guidelines for children's programming.

Frequently asked questions

Why were Horrible Histories scenes removed?

The BBC said the edits were made seven years ago, in consultation with the programme makers, to ensure Horrible Histories met its editorial guidelines for children's programmes. The changes include the removal of one complete episode and several individual scenes and sketches.

Which Horrible Histories episode was removed?

The Times reported that an episode featuring slavery, Victorian child workers and chimney sweeps was removed. It included a Roman galley sketch presented as an airline flight, with enslaved rowers chained to their oars, as well as a scene involving Victorian chimney sweeps.

What Horrible Histories scenes were removed from BBC iPlayer?

Reported removals include around seven scenes involving child slavery, scenes in which white actors used darker make-up to portray ancient Egyptians or Incas, and a sketch depicting Madame Tussaud making wax masks from severed heads. One episode was removed completely.

Did the BBC remove the Horrible Histories scenes in 2026?

No. A BBC spokesperson said on 28 September 2026 that the edits had been made seven years earlier. The broadcaster said the changes were agreed in consultation with the programme makers to ensure the series met editorial guidelines for children's programmes.