‘Peppa Pig’ star Harley Bird has quit the show.
The 18-year-old actress has voiced the animated porker for 13 years, but she will be replaced by nine-year-old Amelie Bea Smith in episodes set to air next month.
In a statement, Harley said: "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.
"The people that work on ‘Peppa Pig’ have become like a family to me and they’ve given me some unforgettable memories."
The A-Level student – who won a BAFTA for the role in 2011 and performed songs for the recent ‘Peppa Pig My First Album’ release – is looking forward to starting a "new chapter".
She added: "I wish Amelie the best of luck in the role and am looking forward to starting the next chapter in my life."
Amelie – who appeared in several episodes of ‘EastEnders’ in 2018 and 2019 as Daisy – will become the fourth actress to take on the role after Lily Snowden-Fine, Cecily Bloom, and Harley.
The young actress is delighted to star as the next voice of the character after being a fan since she was a toddler.
Her agent, Mark Jermin said: "Amelie has been a huge fan of the show since she was little, so voicing the title role is like a dream come true and she’s thrilled to become part of the voice cast."
‘Peppa Pig’ co-creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker, from animation studio Astley Baker Davies, said: "We’re delighted to welcome Amelie to the ‘Peppa Pig’ voice cast and confident that she will continue the strong legacy of the previous Peppa voice actors."
Peppa Pig voice Harley Bird quits after 13 years
