Ben Fordham brands ABCs Bluey deal a disaster

has slammed the ABC over a deal involving TV hit Bluey and the BBC, which he claims cost the national broadcaster billions.

Originally commissioned by the ABC in 2017, the animated children's series about a family of blue heeler dogs has since become a global hit.

Now, critics say that the ABC made a terrible mistake negotiating the merchandising rights with the UK's national broadcaster.

'This is the story of one of the biggest stuff-ups in the history of the ABC,' the 2GB broadcaster said on his Ben Fordham Live podcast on Friday.

Fordham said it was a 'financial fail' that could have funded the entire ABC budget twice over.

He continued, 'Here's what happened; the ABC commissioned Bluey, they had control, but then the  in London offered to pay roughly 30% of production costs, and in return, the ABC handed the BBC the total global distribution and merchandising rights. 

'That's the entire commercial engine behind Bluey, and the ABC just gave it away.'

An angry-sounding Fordham said that every time the fan-favourite 'kicked a goal' internationally and every time merchandise was sold, it was the BBC who 'banked the cash'. 

'The Australian taxpayer helped create Bluey by the ABC, and yet the BBC is making the money from it. It is the world's worst deal,' he added.

Fordham was responding to a claim by entrepreneur Charlie Gearside, who posted a video to YouTube in which he estimated that Bluey could generate $2.5billion each year for the ABC.

Meanwhile, on X, economist Cameron Murray shared Gearside's clip and commented, 'Bluey royalties could have funded the ABC twice over.

'Instead, we just gave them away to the BBC in a dud deal. Now the BBC is rolling in cash.'

The 'dud deal' was raised as an issue this week at a film and TV conference on the Gold Coast by ABC managing director Hugh Marks.

'We’ve spoken a lot about Bluey since I arrived [at the ABC], and we can all look back as to what happened in that particular situation,' he said at the Screen Producers Australia conference, according to Mumbrella.