The BBC has faced criticism for removing an episode of Horrible Histories that featured depictions of slavery, chimney sweeps and Victorian child labour, along with editing out sketches from other episodes including a spoof about Madame Tussaud making death masks from severed heads. The decision is controversial because the comedy series has been widely praised for engaging children with history through depicting its more gruesome and darker elements, marking a significant shift in the corporation's approach to children's programming.

The removed episode contained sketches showing Roman slaves chained on a boat being told they could not escape if the ship sank, and a compensation advertisement for exploited Victorian factory workers featuring disabled children. The BBC stated these changes were made seven years ago to comply with guidelines for children's content. However, historian Guy Walters criticised the decision as "insane," arguing that children are naturally drawn to darker historical material. The controversy follows previous criticism the programme faced for other editorial decisions.