I am currently the only parent in the London editorial team, which unofficially makes me the resident Bluey Editor. I’ve had a fair bit to cover of late, including a lovely Bluey trail at Kew Gardens (sadly now over), and a brand new Bluey hotel room. But I think this story might be my favourite yet – though excuse me if I’ve exhausted all of my Bandit quotes.
The Australian High Commissioner has presented Bluey with the first ever ‘Special Recognition Award for Cultural Impact across the UK and the World’. To celebrate the award, the iconic Australia House, home to London’s Australian Embassy, has been turned into ‘Bluey’s House’ for 24 hours. Adorned with Bluey flags, the building was the backdrop for a joyful performance of the Bluey title music by a spectacular marching band. There was even a special appearance from Bluey herself.
The event, which entertained a gaggle of unsuspecting London Marathon supporters on Sunday (April 21), coincided with a brand-new, unexpected Bluey episode which is now available to stream across the world. Aptly called ‘Surprise’, the episode is the final episode of Series 3. It follows the tear-jerking, extended episode ‘The Sign’, which was released on April 14.
New figures show that British families have spent over 112 million hours interacting with the show’s toys, video games and live events. The show itself is the most watched children’s TV series in the UK, U.S. and Australia; it’s had 5.7 billion views on its official Bluey YouTube channel; and it is the most-streamed children’s programme in the U.S., second only to Suits overall. So I guess you could say it’s a pretty big deal. And if you’ve contributed to those numbers, I don’t need to explain to you why it is such a worthy winner of this inaugural award.
Australian High Commissioner Stephen Smith said:
“Bluey’s phenomenal success in the UK and globally is testament to the ingenuity and artistry of Australia’s creative industries. Bluey highlights the power of Australian stories to resonate with children and parents the world over.”
Joe Brumm, the show’s creator, added:
“It is an honour to receive this award on behalf of everyone who helped bring Bluey to life. Our beautiful country is a character in the show just as much as any of the dogs, so to have brought it into the living rooms of the whole world, encouraging people to come and visit is something I’ll always be proud of.
“It’s been a very enjoyable week seeing the range of reactions to The Sign around the world. Thanks so much to the ABC, BBC Studios and Disney for making it all possible.”
The final two episodes of Bluey Series 3, ‘The Sign’ and ‘Surprise’, are available to stream now.