After 70 years, Beano changes Spotty’s name to Scotty...to avoid offence
THE Beano has announced that Bash Street Kid Spotty is to be renamed Scotty over fears the name may upset modern readers.
The pimpled youngster has been known as Spotty since his first appearance in the comic in 1954 but he has been renamed for this month’s issue. In May, creators changed the name of heavy-set character Fatty over fears the nickname could offend some children.
The character – often drawn carrying a bag of cakes – is now addressed by the name Freddy, or Frederick if he is being told off by his mother.
Head of Beano Studios Michael Stirling told The Telegraph that ‘James Scott Cameron, aka Spotty from The Bash Street Kids, is now simply Scotty’ to ensure the comic reflected its modern readers.
He said: ‘As Scotty said to his classmates, there’s much more to him than his physical characteristics, and that’s true for any child.’
For the new issue of the Beano, Spotty’s moniker has been crossed out on a panel showing pictures of the Bash Street Kids with their names underneath.
In the strip itself, Spotty is shown playing football and sending a shot into the window of his own house, prompting his angry mother to emerge from the window and rebuke him with his full name ‘James Scott Cameron!’
One of his friends remarks on his name, and says, ‘Wait, your middle name is Scott? I think I’ve got it’, before suggesting, ‘We should call you Scotty’.
Spotty quickly agrees, saying, ‘Yeah I like that’, to which another character adds, ‘It suits you’.
Britain’s longest-running children’s comic – published by Dundee-based DC Thomson since 1938 – changed the name of Frederick Brown, once known as Fatty, to Freddy this year.
Mr Stirling said at the time that it wanted to ‘celebrate’ that ‘kids come in all shapes and sizes’.
The move prompted criticism, including from the Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg.
The Bash Street Kids – Fatty, Spotty, Danny, Toots and Sidney – first appeared in 1955. Recently, two more characters joined the unruly gang in the form of British Asian characters Harsha and Mandi. Yesterday, Mr Stirling said: ‘Much like in 1955, when the Bash Street Kids were created based on the zany antics spotted in the school playground outside of the Beano office, kids are still the inspiration for our characters and storylines. It’s important to us that our readers see themselves and their lives reflected in Beanotown.’
In 2017, Dennis The Menace had a makeover, with his catapult replaced by an iPad and dog Gnasher’s fangs becoming perfectly white.
A special edition of the Beano at Christmas will also celebrate a triumphant year for British sport by including famous faces like tennis ace Emma Raducanu.
The storyline will see the athletes help Dennis the Menace reunite Gnasher with his family in time for Christmas.