https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/31/entertainment/peppa-pig-harley-bird-intl-scli-gbr

Peppa Pig voice actress Harley Bird to step down after 13 years

London (CNN)The actress who has been delighting toddlers as the voice of Peppa Pig for more than a decade is hanging up her puddle-jumping boots and stepping down from the role.

Harley Bird, 18, has played television's bossiest piglet in the children's cartoon for 13 years. In 2011, she won a BAFTA award for her work on the show.

Bird will be replaced by 9-year-old Amelie Bea Smith, who will appear in English-speaking episodes of the show from February, studio Entertainment One confirmed in a statement on Friday.

The internet is going hog wild over Peppa Pig.

"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," co-creators Neville Astley and Mark Baker said in a statement.

Smith's agent, Mark Jermin, said the 9-year-old was "thrilled" to be taking over the role.

"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," Jermin added.

Bird, who is the longest-standing voice of Peppa, has voiced 185 episodes since first starring in the show at the age of five.

In a statement, Bird called her work on the show "the start of an incredible journey" and wished Smith luck in the role.

The popular piglet has also been voiced by Lily Snowden-Fine and Cecily Bloom.