Highlights
- George discovers moderate hearing loss in one ear during routine doctor's visit and gets fitted with hearing aid.
- 98 per cent of parents of deaf children believe TV representation has positive impact on normalising deafness.
- New episodes feature Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley voicing audiologist supporting George's journey.
The new storyline, created in partnership with the National Deaf Children's Society, airs on Milkshake from March 9 with additional digital content released online.
The episodes aim to help families understand childhood deafness while ensuring authentic and sensitive on-screen representation.
In the narrative, George attends an audiology appointment during a routine doctor's visit where his family learns he has moderate hearing loss in one ear.
After being fitted with a hearing aid, George experiences sounds in new ways from splashing in muddy puddles to hearing the ice-cream van for the first time. The episodes culminate with George saying Peppa's name for the very first time.
Authentic representation
The audiologist supporting George is voiced by Jodie Ounsley ,known as Fury from BBC's Gladiators an author, former England rugby international and National Deaf Children's Society supporter.
To ensure authenticity, Hasbro worked closely with NDCS and deaf executive producer and script consultant Camilla Arnold, whose credits include See Hear, The Chelsea Detective and Bridgerton.
Esra Cafer, Hasbro's senior vice president of franchise strategy and management for preschool and fashion, said "George has grown from Peppa's curious little brother into a character with his own voice and experiences.
As he enters this next phase of his development, we continue to celebrate joy, growth and confidence, reminding every child that there's a place for them in Peppa's world."
Impact and support
New research commissioned by Peppa Pig highlights representation's importance, with 84 per cent of UK parents stating inclusive media matters for children and one in four admitting difficulty finding representative children's television.
Among parents of deaf children, 98 per cent believe deaf representation on TV has positive impact, helping normalise deafness and reduce isolation feelings.
George Crockford, National Deaf Children's Society chief executive, said "Nationally, an estimated 54,000 children are deaf, yet we don't always see their stories told in the media.
Representation matters and introducing this storyline in a series as beloved as Peppa Pig is an important step towards helping deaf children feel seen, valued and included."
Hasbro has expanded accessibility by launching the Peppa Pig Sign Language for Kids YouTube channel featuring episodes in British Sign Language and American Sign Language. New toys featuring George with his hearing aid are now available.
