Behind-the-Scenes Secrets About Bluey You’ll Love For Real Life

by

If you’ve ever put on some music and danced, played a simple game of keeping a balloon in the air, or jokingly said, “It was the ’80s, man!”, you’ve probably experienced the joy of being a parent who loves Bluey.

As someone who’s spent *way* too much time listening to kids’ music, I was so relieved when I heard about Joe Brumm’s idea! He noticed, like so many of us parents did, that there weren’t a lot of shows both little ones *and* their parents could actually enjoy – especially when you’re trying to avoid another repeat of “Baby Shark”. So, this talented Australian animator came up with the concept for a show centered around a really smart and energetic blue heeler pup.

The show features stories about Bluey, a 7-year-old blue heeler from Brisbane, her 5-year-old sister Bingo, and their parents, Bandit and Chilli, who always enjoy playing make-believe. As The Hollywood Reporter reported in 2023, creator Ludo Brumm wanted to make “a good co-viewing show where parents could genuinely watch it with their kids.”

Similar shows existed for older audiences, but they weren’t very common for preschoolers. I felt this age group really needed them, because they tend to watch a significant amount of television.

He created it-the show first launched in Australia on October 1, 2018, and then came to the US in 2019-and audiences started watching.

Drawing on his experience making short films, Brumm carefully crafted each seven-minute episode with humor that entertains both young children and their parents. (For example, in “Whale Watching”, kids enjoy Bandit and Chilli pretending to be large whales, while adults notice the parents admitting they feel “sleepy” and a little unwell after a New Year’s Eve celebration.) He also skillfully addressed more sensitive subjects like infertility and the challenges of the early months after having a baby.

In 2023, viewers in the United States watched the Disney+ series for a total of 731 million hours. This made it the second most-watched streaming show, trailing only Suits.

The show has also gained fans among Brittany Mahomes, Ryan Reynolds, Tia Mowry, and many other parents of young children – those with kids under 7, to be exact. With products like books, plush toys, the hit Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show, and a full-length movie planned for release in 2027, the brand is now valued at around 2 billion dollars. Seriously!

And yet Brumm is simply running his own race, thrilled that his own daughters took to the series. 

Bluey started as my desire to create something special for my children,” he explained to The Hollywood Reporter when asked about future projects for his now-growing kids. “That feeling continues even as they get older. Honestly, I just really enjoy storytelling, and being part of such a successful show with incredibly talented people has been the most rewarding experience of my career.

Which is why he decided he could no longer play keepy uppy. 

Revealing that he’d written “a Bluey feature script that I really love,” he also shared in a letter to fans, some trifficult news: “I always said I wouldn’t keep making the show if I thought I couldn’t make any new season as good as the last,” he shared, explaining that while the series would continue with a fourth season, he wouldn’t. “In the event I can’t wrap my head around doing more seasons myself, The Sign will mark my TV finale for Bluey and I wrote it as such.”

Aw, biscuits! Now we’re tearing up like we just watched “Baby Race” for the umpteenth time. 

Whether you’re a big Bluey fan or totally new to the show, find 20 minutes of uninterrupted time to check out these behind-the-scenes details.

Having lots of experience creating shows for children, creator Joe Brumm had a clear idea of what he didn’t want for Bluey. He was determined to avoid repeating common, predictable patterns, and focused on steering clear of two specific problems.

He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that a common argument is, ‘Children’s programs should empower kids because they often feel powerless in their everyday lives.’ However, he countered this by saying, ‘Actually, have you seen my own children? They’re full of independence and control!’

He also mentioned building a team of writers who worked on children’s television. “I believe many of them are very talented, but they’re used to an industry-and an audience-that doesn’t push for originality; they’re okay with repetitive work,” he said, explaining his reasoning. “I figured that approach would only lead to shows I’d already seen, so I decided not to hire any writers.”

2. Just one minute long, Brumm’s pilot episode lifted an anecdote from real life.

“My girls always used to ask me to push them on the swings and they’d say, ‘Can you put us all the way around?'” he detailed to The Hollywood Reporter. “So Bandit’s pushing them, and Bluey’s saying, ‘Push me all the way around,’ and so he ends up pushing her all the way around.”

He explained that after being presented to several companies, it wasn’t clear how to move forward. He said, “I don’t think people knew what to do with it,” adding that producers were uncertain whether the project was intended for a younger or adult audience. “It needed developing, but the seed was there!“

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by creative pivots! I almost took a really wild turn with one of my projects. My initial pilot wasn’t really gaining momentum, so I jokingly thought, ‘What if I did an R-rated Peppa Pig?’. I envisioned using Peppa Pig‘s simple grammar, but telling a brutally honest story about parenthood – you know, the messy reality of things like mastitis and everything else. I actually wrote a full 22-minute script for it! It was definitely a unique idea, though I ultimately went in a different direction.

He decided to put that plan on hold after watching the Australian show The Letdown cover similar topics, saying, “and I shifted my focus to preschool.” However, he hasn’t completely given up on the idea. “I looked at it again not long ago,” he explained, “and I still think it’s great. I’d really like to bring it to life someday.”

4. The creators really thought carefully about what Bluey and Bingo’s parents do for work. Bandit Heeler, the dad, is an archeologist, and mom, Chilli, works part-time at the airport, checking for problems – you could say she sniffs out trouble.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this, but apparently Bluey is actually a girl! But honestly, the producer, Daley Pearson, is SO chill about everyone getting it wrong. He actually *doesn’t want* to correct people – especially kids! He told Australia’s New Idea that he thinks kids just see what they *want* to see. Like, if a little boy loves Bluey and wants to *be* Bluey, he’ll just…see himself as Bluey! It’s just…perfect. He even called it a “happy accident”! I mean, it just proves how amazing and inclusive Bluey is, right? It’s like, gender doesn’t even matter when you’re having this much fun!

6. Despite appearances from stars like Natalie Portman, Eva Mendes, and Lin-Manuel Miranda over the show’s three seasons, the voices behind Bluey, Bingo, and their friends remain largely a secret. The show only reveals that the actors are the children of the production team.

7. Interestingly, David McCormack and Melanie Zanetti-the voices of Bandit and Chilli-didn’t meet in person until November 2022, when they both visited New York City.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by how people make things work, and recently I learned about how Zanetti approaches recording. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she shared that they actually record separately. It’s a bit unusual, but it makes sense considering she and her colleagues live in different cities, and she’s a frequent traveler for work. She described the experience, which happened in New York, as completely wild!

8. Taylor Swift isn’t alone in cleverly hiding details for fans to find. In every episode of Bluey, you can spot a tennis ball and a tiny dachshund toy – a fun reference to things dogs really love.

9. It’s outrageous that the networks attempted to censor Brumm’s creative work. However, when faced with criticism about content being unsuitable for children, he would often respond, “I can’t alter this – it’s just too funny.” Or, he’d admit, “I really like it too much,” as he shared with THR. Consequently, they would simply decide, “Let’s just not air that whole episode, scene, or sequence.”

Several episodes were changed for American audiences, including “Exercise”, “Dad Baby”, “Perfect”, and “Family Meeting”. The latter features a scene where Bluey claims her dad is “fluffing” right in front of her.

10. However, there was a time when Brumm had a change of heart, a moment of realization similar to a turning point in Jesus’s life. Remembering his time in Catholic school, he felt it was important to recognize and acknowledge the children he encountered, even if they didn’t practice a religion.

Brumm shared with THR that in “Shadowlands,” there was a planned scene where characters imagine sunlight as water. They discuss being unable to reach certain things, leading to a conversation about walking on water. The idea was for one character to state, ‘No one can walk on water,’ and then for Snickers to reply, ‘Jesus can.’ Bluey would then ask, ‘Who’s Jesus?’ before the scene moved forward.

Brumm found the exchange “particularly funny,” but he acknowledged removing it was the right call. He explained, “It doesn’t fit the tone of a preschool cartoon-it’s just too strange. However, it did still make me laugh.”

Oh my gosh, you won’t *believe* the drama! One of the hardest battles they fought was when they were trying to get the show on streaming services worldwide. Seriously, at one point, someone – I still can’t believe it – suggested changing the wonderfully, distinctly Australian accents to sound more American for the U.S. version! It was so trifficult to even *think* about, and thankfully they didn’t go through with it, but it was a real scare! I was so worried they’d ruin it!

According to Brumm, someone from Disney – who is Australian – assured him that a change was definitely planned, but this person strongly objected, arguing that it would result in significant losses.

“She successfully persuaded them to keep the Australian accents, which, I can say with certainty, was crucial for the show’s international success,” Brumm explained.

12. Yes, Brumm does have a favorite episode.

The episode “Flat Pack“, featuring Bandit and Chilli struggling to assemble a patio swing set while Bluey and Bingo create a playful world with bubble wrap and cardboard, draws on Brumm’s earlier experience, as he explained to THR. He feels the episode achieves several things: it’s engaging for children, tells a humorous story, and also holds personal significance as he navigates his own life challenges. He described it as “a very meaningful story for me, who’s trying to figure out my life and all that.”

Read More

2025-10-01 13:18