Fans of the beloved Australian cartoon Bluey have gone wild after the makers dropped a secret episode amid fears the series could be coming to an end.
The new episode, aptly titled The Surprise, aired surreptitiously on ABC on Sunday morning, without notice.
To maintain the secret, the national broadcaster went so far as to hide the episode from television programs and tell viewers to expect a repeat.
Soon after, the official Bluey page sent fans into a tailspin by posting several eye emojis on social media with a link to the show’s webpage.
“You’re telling me I cried after the sign and you’re dropping another episode?!” a fan wrote on X.
Fans of beloved Aussie cartoon Bluey have gone wild after creators dropped a secret episode amid fears the series could be coming to an end
“What in the Taylor Swift is this?,” said another, referring to the pop sensation’s surprise double album on Friday.
“People, I was gasping so hard my wife thought someone had died,” wrote another.
In the new episode, Bluey and her sister Bingo let their father, Bandit, play two different games at the same time.
It came just a week after the release of a special 28-minute episode entitled The Sign.
The Heeler family put their house up for sale, causing panic among parents and fans and the series could end.
The new episode, aptly titled The Surprise, aired surreptitiously on ABC on Sunday morning, without notice
At the end of the episode (spoiler alert), the family did not go through with the planned move.
Bluey producer Sam Moor insisted the show would return and planted a little Easter egg for Sunday’s episode.
“It’s the question on everyone’s lips. No, it’s not the end for Bluey. I’m sure we have many more surprises in store for you,” she told BBC radio 4 last week.
Bluey is broadcast in more than 60 countries. The Emmy-winning cartoon is the second most popular streaming show in the US.
To maintain the secret, the national broadcaster went so far as to hide the episode from television programs and tell viewers to expect a repeat.
The show’s tear-jerking finale proved a huge hit on ABC Kids last week.
The special 28-minute episode of the animated children’s show reached 2.28 million viewers in Australia.
Meanwhile, 787,000 people watched the show on ABC iview, making it the most watched entertainment show of the evening.
The episode, titled The Sign, marked an end to series three of the show, ahead of an extended break for the Heeler family.
Guests in the tear-filled finale included Joel Edgerton, Rove McManus and Deborah Mailman.