Peppa Pig Behind the Scenes: Creators and Voices

Peppa Pig! This small, cheeky pig has become loved by children around the world. With a rich backstory, engaging episodes, and creative visionaries and voice actors, this television show has become a household name.  

Let’s dive into everything Peppa Pig, the show’s summary, the creation and development of this iconic show, and the actors behind those familiar voices.  

Peppa Pig Description  

Peppa Pig is a well-known animated children’s television show that follows the adventures of a feisty young pig and her family and friends. Each episode revolves around Peppa’s day-to-day activities and the interaction between her friends and family. From learning valuable lessons about friendship and kindness to learning how to solve problems, each episode holds an engaging storyline while showcasing relatable characters and scenarios.  

Creating Peppa Pig 

Two British animators, Neville Astley and Mark Baker, came together over a passion for storytelling and found a gap in the market when children’s animation was thriving in the UK. They had noticed several children’s shows didn’t have cohesive storylines, any family values, and mostly displayed girls as princesses or ballerinas.  

So, they created Peppa, a four-year-old pig, and told the story from her perspective.  

Phil Davies became the producer of the show and enjoyed how the team came up with engaging episodes and stated, 

“We’re lucky that all of us came from stable homes: we remember how the world was when we were four. Anything you could think of could be made into an episode – the first one was about jumping in muddy puddles. They all come from simple ideas: her grandparents have a pet parrot called Polly; she goes on a boat trip; she has a pen pal … My daughter is an ice skater and we thought it would be fun to have Peppa go ice skating. I used to be a mad pilot, so aeroplanes turn up in episodes every now and again.” 

Mark Baker, the co-creator of Peppa Pig, observed that children typically didn’t like making fun of themselves, but do enjoy laughing at their parents. Baker added,  

“By having a Mummy and Daddy Pig, we could get humour in without having to laugh at the child character. Animal stories are good for children because they give you licence – a pig is allowed to be messy – and animation works because it’s one step removed from reality, so children feel safe watching it.” – The Guardian  

The creators and producer formed the production company Astley Baker Davis, and premiered Peppa Pig on Channel 5 in 2004. Today, Peppa Pig is no longer just a television show, it’s a multi-media brand, from toys to books and theme parks to live shows, the vision behind this animated show created an international success story! 

The Voices Behind Peppa Pig  

This loved television show has become familiar to me based on their distinctive and charming voice actors. Several talented voice actors have contributed at one point or another in bringing the world of Peppa Pig to life, with each actor adding personality and depth to storylines and characters.  

During the first season, Peppa Pig was originally voiced by Lily Snowden, with Cecily Bloom taking over for a short period, and then Harley Bird voiced Peppa from 2007 to 2020, earning a BAFTA award for her incredible work. Since Harley had left, Amelia Bea Smith has taken on the role. 

Fun fact: Harley Bird began voicing Peppa when she was only five years old, and by the time she left the role, she had grown up alongside Peppa! As a five-year-old, she was unable to read the script and had to have the team read lines out to her to record lines in chunks until she was able to learn the script for herself.  

Other key voices in the series included well-known British actress Morwenna Banks, who voices Mummy Pig and Richard Ridings, who plays fun and loving Daddy Pig.  

The voice actors behind this simple, bright, and warm show are key to Peppa Pig’s success. The authenticity each actor brings to the role makes these simple stories even more engaging and relatable for young audiences.  

Peppa Pig’s charm lies in its simplicity, but behind that simplicity is a team of passionate, dedicated, and creative animators, creators, and voice actors who has made this show a staple in children’s entertainment. Explore Peppa Pig toys for all children and fans alike. 

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