Bluey is an Australian animated television series for preschool children that premiered on ABC Kids in October 2018. The series follows Bluey, a 6-year-old Blue Heeler puppy who lives with her father Bandit, mother Chilli, and younger sister Bingo. Bluey quickly became a hit and one of the most popular shows among preschoolers in Australia. This has led some fans to wonder if the show has been discontinued amidst its popularity.
Is Bluey still in production?
Yes, Bluey is still in production and has not been discontinued. After the massive success of the first season in Australia, the BBC acquired Bluey and premiered it on CBeebies in the UK in September 2019. The second season premiered on ABC Kids in Australia in March 2020 and on Disney Junior in the US in September 2020.
The huge popularity of Bluey internationally led the BBC to renew the show for a third season of 52 11-minute episodes in August 2020. Season 3 premiered in Australia in October 2021. The season has been progressively rolling out on Disney Junior in the US and on CBeebies in the UK starting in 2022.
In April 2022, ahead of the premiere of Season 3 in the US, Disney Junior announced it had greenlit a fourth season of Bluey. Season 4 is currently in production and expected to premiere in 2023.
So despite any rumors, Bluey is still being actively produced with new seasons on the way. There are no plans for it to be discontinued.
Why do some people think Bluey was discontinued?
There are a few reasons why some fans may have gotten the impression that Bluey was discontinued:
- Long gaps between seasons – There have been 12-18 month gaps between new seasons as production ramps up to meet global demand. This led to speculation during the gaps.
- Season 3 delays – The global rollout of Season 3 was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It took over a year to fully premiere worldwide, causing confusion.
- Repetitive reruns – To fill gaps between new episodes, networks relied heavily on reruns, giving the impression of no new content.
- US premiere delays – Seasons have premiered much later in the US than Australia, making it seem like the show ended.
- Netflix removal – In 2020, Season 1 was removed from Netflix in the US after Disney+ obtained the streaming rights.
These factors combined led some fans to mistakenly conclude that Bluey had been quietly discontinued despite its popularity. In reality, new episodes were still being worked on behind the scenes.
Is Bluey popular enough to stay on the air?
Absolutely. Bluey is extraordinarily popular both in Australia and internationally. Here are some figures that demonstrate Bluey’s runaway success:
- In 2019, Bluey became the most watched program ever on ABC iView with over 200 million plays.
- In 2020, Bluey won an International Emmy for Best Preschool Program.
- By 2021, Bluey had been sold to over 60 international markets and broadcasters.
- Bluey consistently tops children’s programming charts in every country it premieres in.
- In August 2022, Bluey won another Emmy for Outstanding Preschool Series.
- Bluey merchandising makes over $200 million a year globally.
The bottom line is Bluey is a bonafide global phenomenon amongst preschoolers. Disney Junior describes it as “the #1 series for kids”. There is zero chance of it being discontinued given its astronomical popularity and ability to generate massive merchandising revenue.
When will Bluey end?
There is no end in sight for Bluey at the moment. Creator Joe Brumm has said he plans to keep making the show as long as kids want to watch it. Given the overwhelming popularity of the franchise, it’s expected that new seasons will continue being produced for years to come.
As long as ratings remain strong and merchandising sales stay robust, Disney will likely keep ordering new seasons. Many shows run for 5+ seasons, so Bluey could easily have a 5-10 year run. The production company is already planning spin-off shows, movies, and global retail expansions well into the future.
Of course, if ratings were to sharply decline in the future, Disney may opt to wrap up the show. But there are no signs of that happening anytime soon. By all indications, Bluey’s incredible success story is just getting started. It sits alongside other Australian megahits like Peppa Pig that have endured for over a decade. There is a clear formula in place to keep Bluey going strong.
Will there be a Season 5 of Bluey?
No official announcement regarding a fifth season of Bluey has been made yet. However, it is very likely there will be a Season 5 in the future.
Given the show’s soaring popularity and the recent commissioning of Season 4 in 2022, it would be surprising if Disney did not continue ordering additional seasons. Each prior season has experienced growing success and demand from audiences worldwide.
There also does not appear to be any creative fatigue for the show yet. Creator Joe Brumm has spoken about having ideas for future story arcs and adventures for the characters.
Many comparable hit kids animated series like Peppa Pig and Dora the Explorer have lasted for 5+ seasons. Disney will want to continue profiting from Bluey’s success for as long as possible. Renewing the show season by season enables them to maintain quality control too.
Considering all of these factors, audiences can reasonably expect Disney to announce a Season 5 renewal likely sometime in 2023. This should allow for a 2024 premiere timeframe. As long as ratings hold firm, Bluey’s adventures should keep going into the foreseeable future.
When will Season 4 of Bluey premiere?
Disney has not announced an exact premiere date for Season 4 yet. However, we can expect it to start airing sometime in 2023 based on production timelines.
Here is a look at when previous seasons of Bluey premiered:
Season | Premiere date |
Season 1 | October 2018 (Australia) |
Season 2 | March 2020 (Australia) |
Season 3 | October 2021 (Australia) |
Each season has premiered roughly 12-18 months after the prior season. Since Season 4 was commissioned in April 2022, a Fall 2023 premiere would follow this timeframe.
Disney will likely premiere it first in Australia on ABC Kids before rolling it out internationally. We can expect it to reach Disney Junior US and Disney+ around late 2023/early 2024.
An exact date is not yet known since production schedules can shift. Stay tuned to Disney Junior for the official announcement, likely in mid to late-2023. There is plenty more fun coming soon with Bluey and her family!
Conclusion
In summary, popular Australian series Bluey has not been discontinued. It is still in active production with Season 4 greenlit and future seasons highly likely. Despite some gaps between seasons and staggered global premieres, Bluey continues going strong as both a ratings and merchandising juggernaut. While an end date is not set, the show could easily run for many more years. Bluey is poised to remain a beloved family favorite for preschool audiences around the world.