Philosopher Tom Whyman reflects on pandemic parenting through the lens of children's TV show Hey Duggee
Philosopher and author Tom Whyman investigates the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the fear of new experiences, using the animated series Hey Duggee as an example. Since its debut in 2014, the program showcases Duggee guiding a Squirrel Club on various adventures to earn badges. During the initial lockdown in the UK, BBC iPlayer saw 67 million requests for its episodes. Whyman observes his son's affinity for Hey Duggee, Pointless, and University Challenge, emphasizing the show's Flash animation and inclusive messages. In early April, six new episodes were released on BBC iPlayer, featuring voice actors Forrest Davis and Arabella Duffy. Whyman connects his son's anxiety about new episodes to the pandemic's impact and the stunted linguistic growth in preschoolers, advocating for the acceptance of new experiences to promote security.
Key facts
- Hey Duggee is a children's animated series that premiered in 2014 on CBeebies
- BBC iPlayer received 67 million requests for Hey Duggee episodes during the first UK lockdown
- Six new episodes were released on BBC iPlayer in early April 2021
- Voice actors Forrest Davis and Arabella Duffy joined the cast for the new episodes
- The show includes references to philosophy, art, and characters like Naughty Monkey and Mr and Mr Crab
- Tom Whyman is a philosopher and author of Infinitely Full of Hope: Fatherhood and the Future in an Age of Crisis and Disaster (2021)
- The pandemic has been linked to delayed linguistic development in preschool-aged children
- Lockdowns led to increased binge-watching of old TV shows such as The Sopranos and The Office
Entities
Artists
- Tom Whyman
- Forrest Davis
- Arabella Duffy
- Duke Davis
- Jasmine Bartholomew
- Botticelli
- David Hockney
Institutions
- BBC iPlayer
- CBeebies
- Repeater
- artreview.com
Locations
- United Kingdom