Hearing Test (Peppa Pig)
| "Hearing Test" | |
|---|---|
| Peppa Pig episode | |
 Peppa and George's hearing test | |
| Episode no. | Season 11 Episode 1 |
| Original air date | 23 March 2026 |
| Guest appearance | |
| Jodie Ounsley as an audiologist | |
"Hearing Test" is the first episode of the eleventh season of the British animated preschool children's television series Peppa Pig. It originally aired on Nickelodeon on 23 March 2026. The episode sees George Pig undergo a hearing test, and he is diagnosed with moderate hearing loss. The episode was developed in partnership with the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS), and deaf television personality Jodie Ounsley voiced an audiologist.
Plot and production
Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig drive their children Peppa Pig, George Pig and Evie Pig to a doctor's office for Evie's first hearing test. At the doctor's office, all three children are tested, as George is unable to say Peppa's name, instead saying "dinosaur". The family are brought into an audiology room to have the test, consisting of blocks being put into a bucket when the kids hear a sound through headphones. After the hearing test, George is diagnosed with moderate hearing loss in one ear that developed later in life. George is given a hearing aid, which he retained in later episodes.
Ahead of the episode's release, an episode of Peppa Pig Tales told from George's audio perspective was released.[1] "Hearing Test" was developed in partnership with the NDCS.[2] It was first broadcast on Nickelodeon on 23 March at 2pm UTC, as the first episode of the series' eleventh season.[3][4] Television personality Jodie Ounsley—who is deaf herself and uses a cochlear implant—voiced the audiologist.[2] The storyline continued throughout the rest of season 11, with episodes depicting the daily life of a deaf child.[5]
Following the release of the episode, a costumed Daddy Pig ran the 2026 London Marathon to raise money for the NDCS. Within the show's storyline, Daddy Pig chose to run the marathon after learning of George's partial deafness.[6][7]
Reception
Animation Magazine, USA Today and East Coast Radio consider the deaf representation to be a continuation of Peppa Pig's representation of minority groups, as the show has previously depicted a character in a wheelchair (Mandy Mouse) and a character with two mothers (Penny the Polar Bear).[4][1][8] The Animation World Network considers the episode to be a "defining moment" for George.[3]
In an ITV interview, Ounsley said the role of the audiologist was very close to her heart, and that she never would have imagined one day doing such a storyline on the show when she watched it growing up.[9] Speaking to Metro, George Crockford—the chief executive of the NDCS—praised the episode's representation, saying that it will have a "profound impact".[10]
References
- 1 2 Cross, Greta. "Peppa Pig's baby brother George introduced as moderately deaf". USA Today. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- 1 2 Heritage, Stuart (5 February 2026). "Peppa Pig has quietly become the best soap opera on television". The Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- 1 2 Sarto, Dan (19 March 2026). "New 'Peppa Pig' Episodes Mark Next Chapter for George". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 21 March 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- 1 2 Milligan, Mercedes (4 February 2026). "'Peppa Pig' Reveals George Is Moderately Deaf in New Storyline". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 23 February 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ "Peppa Pig's Brother, George, Will Get A Hearing Aid". Today's Parent. 23 April 2026. Archived from the original on 9 March 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ Del Fabbro, Lauren (2026-03-03). "Daddy Pig set to run London Marathon and raise vital funds for children's charity". The Independent. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
- ↑ Hobson, Ben (2026-03-30). "Daddy Pig is running the London Marathon: 'Jumping in muddy puddles is actually FANTASTIC cardio'". Runner's World. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
- ↑ Ndlovu, Skyye. "Peppa Pig drops BIG news about George Pig". East Coast Radio. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ Moss, Molly (5 February 2026). "Peppa Pig's little brother George diagnosed as deaf in special emotional episode". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
- ↑ Pope, Milo (5 February 2026). "Peppa Pig's groundbreaking hearing loss storyline will have 'profound impact', charity boss says". Metro. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 4 August 2026.