Amelie Bea Smith will take over from Harley Bird on Valentines Day…

Harley Bird, who has voiced the beloved cartoon character of Peppa Pig since 2007, is to be replaced with a new voice actress next month. Amelie Bea Smith (EastEnders) will be taking up the Peppa mantle from Valentines Day onward.

Bird was 5 years old when she came aboard to voice Peppa in season 3 of the money-making TV series, but she seems to have no regrets about stepping down.

“Becoming the voice of Peppa Pig at the age of five was the start of an incredible journey, and I’ll never forget my time on the show,” she said in a statement. “The people that work on Peppa Pig have become like a family to me and they’ve given me some unforgettable memories. I wish Amelie the best of luck in the role and am looking forward to starting the next chapter in my life.”

“As our longest-standing Peppa, Harley’s award-winning contribution to the show over the past 13 years has been tremendous, making her a key part of the success of Peppa Pig,” Peppa Pig co-creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker remarked. “We’re delighted to welcome Amelie to the Peppa Pig voice cast and are confident that she will continue the strong legacy of the previous Peppa voice actors.”

As of 31st December 2019, Hasbro became the owner of Peppa Pig, having acquired Entertainment One for an eye-watering $3.8 billion.