Censored The Walking Dead Premiere Gets Approval In U.K.

Immediately following The Walking Dead‘s Season 7 premiere on October 23, backlash regarding the violence featured in the returning hour became the most popular topic. The AMC series saw, in graphic detail, the heads of two main characters being bashed in by a barbed wire wrapped baseball bat.

Since the show’s premiere, the episode has been censored for overseas viewing by Ofcam (the U.K. equivalent to the FCC). Some viewers were unhappy to tune into the show’s premiere and learn that certain takes of Glenn’s eye bulging from his head and Abraham’s bleeding skull were removed from the episode.

The episode aired back in October of 2016 in the U.K., with less shots of Glenn’s eye and brain exposure, and compeltely without his “Maggie, I will find you,” line.

“Our investigation found that FOX took appropriate steps to edit the programme for the 9pm showing,” Ofcom said.

“As Fox Networks Group is regulated by Ofcom, we have a duty of care to ensure all our programmes broadcast adhere to the parameters of the Ofcom Broadcasting code,” a Fox UK spokesperson told Digital Spy.

The edits are said to have been chosen carefully as to avoid altering the narrative of The Walking Dead‘s Episode 7×01.

17 million people watched The Walking Dead‘s Season 7 premiere in the U.S.. It was the second most watched episode Stateside. In the U.K., a record number of viewers tuned into Fox UK for the episode, with 1.4 million watching in the first 24 hours.

Reports claim that the episode aired unedited cuts at later broadcast hours.

Since the backlash of The Walking Dead‘s Season 7 premiere, the network and production team have chosen to remove more violent takes from recent episodes. For example, Joshua Hoover recently told ComicBook.com that his Fat Joey character’s death was filmed in much more brutal fashion than was shown on television. Daryl slaying the Savior never actually showed a single blow to Joey’s head, completely opposite the premiere’s choices to show Abraham and Glenn’s beatdowns in full.

MORE WALKING DEAD:

Andrew Lincoln’s Epic Reaction To Season 7 Finale / New Season 7B Key Art / Violent Takes Were Removed From Midseason Finale / Best Moments of 2016 / Negan Featured in #162 Preview / Five Worst Storylines / Who Will Be The Next Major Death? / AMC Stock Takes Hit With TWD Ratings Drops / Spoilers: How Will Season 7 End?

The Walking Dead returns for the rest of its seventh season on February 12 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead‘s third season does not yet have a premiere date but with The Walking Dead finale set for April 2, expectations for Fear‘s return are set for April 9. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.