When the beloved animated series Peppa Pig announced the arrival of Peppa’s baby sister, fans around the world cheered. But not everyone was as delighted.
Some farmers and animal experts have taken issue with how the show portrayed the piglet’s birth, saying it’s far from how things really happen in the pig world.
Peppa’s Baby Sister Arrives in Style at London’s Lindo Wing
On Good Morning Britain, viewers learned that Mummy Pig had given birth to her third piglet early Tuesday morning—named Evie after her aunt.
The birth was said to have taken place in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London, famously known as the birthplace of Kate Middleton’s children.
Peppa and George are said to be thrilled about their new sibling, while Mummy and Daddy Pig look forward to the joys (and challenges) that come with a new baby.
Farmers Call Out the Show for Unrealistic Pig Births
But while the Peppa family celebrated, some in the farming community felt the show was missing the mark when it came to how pigs really give birth.
A caller named Caroline voiced her concerns on BBC Radio 1’s Scott Mills Breakfast Show, questioning why the show suggested pigs only have one piglet at a time when, in reality, pig litters are much larger.
DJ Scott Mills lightheartedly joked that she might be “overthinking it,” but Caroline was onto something.
Scottish farmer Ruth Ashton-Shaw, who raises pigs herself, pointed out that typical litters range from eight to twelve piglets, with intensive farms sometimes seeing even bigger litters of up to 18.
“That’s a whole lot of siblings for Peppa,” Ruth joked, “and probably quite a challenge for the writers too.”
Real Life Piglets Are Tough and Independent
Ruth also shared some lesser-known facts about piglets that might surprise fans of the show.
Unlike the cute, cuddly siblings on screen, real piglets are fierce and competitive from the moment they’re born.
They quickly get up and start nursing, not hesitating to push others aside in their quest for milk.
She added that unlike Peppa’s family, which lives in a cozy house, real sows prefer to build their own shelters outside using twigs and natural materials when giving birth.
Still, she appreciated the loving environment Peppa and Evie share on the show, noting that mother pigs often look after each other just like on screen.
Animal Rights Group PETA Joins the Conversation
The farming community wasn’t the only one speaking up.
Animal rights activists at PETA used the announcement to highlight how differently pigs are treated on many industrial farms in the UK.
On X (formerly Twitter), they pointed out that while Mummy Pig enjoyed a sparkling hospital room surrounded by love, many real pigs give birth in harsh conditions — confined to dirty concrete floors with high mortality rates among piglets.
PETA emphasized the stark contrast between the idyllic cartoon birth and the reality faced by many farmed animals.
Peppa’s Big Announcement Was a Global Event
This isn’t the first time Peppa Pig’s family news has made headlines.
Just last month, Battersea Power Station’s chimneys were lit up pink to reveal that Mummy and Daddy Pig were expecting a baby girl.
Fans were also treated to a VIP party at the first-ever permanent Peppa Pig store in Battersea, celebrating the gender reveal while supporting NCT, the UK’s leading charity for pregnancy and parenting.
NCT was recently named Peppa Pig’s official charity partner, strengthening the bond between the cartoon and real-world parenting communities.
New Peppa Pig Cinema Experience to Celebrate the New Arrival
To keep the excitement going, fans can join Peppa, George, and the rest of the family on the big screen with Peppa Meets the Baby.
This new cinema experience launches May 30 in over 2,600 theaters across 19 countries and includes 10 brand-new episodes filled with songs and fun as Peppa and George prepare for their baby sister’s arrival.
Mummy Pig Shares Her Pregnancy Experience
In a recent interview with Grazia magazine, Mummy Pig opened up about how her pregnancy has brought her closer to Daddy Pig.
She shared how they have been supporting each other while managing their busy family life, juggling the older siblings Peppa, who’s four, and George, who’s two.
The Humble Beginnings of a Global Phenomenon
Peppa Pig first aired back in 2004, and despite initial doubts from its creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker, it has grown into a global sensation.
The show now broadcasts in 180 territories and has been translated into 40 languages.
It has also spawned books, toys, theme parks, and an empire worth over £1 billion.
Astley once shared that people didn’t initially believe in their idea.
“People in the pub would ask us what we were drawing,” he said.
“We’d say, ‘A pig, called Peppa, it’s going to be big.’ They’d lose interest and wander off.”
The creators found inspiration in 1970s cartoons like Roobarb and Pingu and realized children love stories about animals—something that clearly still holds true today.