Blowback: Disney re-evaluates decision to block Bluey episode about farting

US streaming service Disney+ has “reevaluated” its decision to ban an episode of Bluey in which the cartoon dog’s dad Bandit is accused of farting in Bluey’s face.

The Family Meeting episode from series three of the hit children’s show features a faux trial with mum Chilli as the judge to determine whether Bandit did “fluffy” or “make a brownie” on Bluey’s face.

The episode opens with the six-year-old blue heeler pup saying “Dad blew off right in my face” and Bandit denying it. Later he admits: “Her face is at bum level – it’s hard not to.”

Fans of the Emmy-award winning Australian series, which screens on Disney+ in the US, noticed that the episode was missing when it dropped last week and complained on social media.

Initially, Disney Branded Television was silent on the reasons for holding back the episode but has now confirmed it did so because it breached Disney Junior’s “standards and practices”.

“Family Meeting will roll out on US platforms soon,” a spokesperson told a US kids entertainment blog. “Some of the Bluey content did not meet Disney Junior broadcast S&P in place at the time the series was acquired. Now that it is rolling out on other platforms, it is a great opportunity to reevaluate which is what we plan to do.”

It’s not the only episode of the irreverent series from Brisbane’s Ludo Studio to be subjected to censorship in the US. A season two episode called Dad Baby, in which Bandit acts as if he’s going through childbirth, has never been available on Disney+ or Disney Junior.

In 2020 two episodes of Bluey were temporarily removed from ABC iView and edited after a complaint the term “ooga booga” had racial connotations.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines “ooga booga” as a derogatory noun, meaning: “A stereotypical rendering of what the speaker regards to be the language of those deemed by them to be African savages.”

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Bluey producers and the ABC said was it was only intended as “irreverent rhyming slang often made up by children” and it was taken down “as soon as the ABC and external producers became aware of the potentially offensive meaning of the term”.

The ABC also said it “sincerely apologised to the complainant for any distress caused”.

The most popular ABC TV show, Bluey is a cult international show which has inspired children and parents alike since it launched in 2018, and now has a hit album, a touring play, an Emmy and a podcast that dissects each episode.

Bluey won another Logie for most outstanding children’s program earlier this year.

Guardian Australia has approached Disney for comment.