Channel 4 pulls Simpsons episode after assassination attempt on Donald Trump

Channel 4 pulled a scheduled episode of 'The Simpsons' from transmission due to a scene which echoed the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday (13.07.24).

SHARE

SHARE

Channel 4 pulled episode of The Simpsons from schedule after Donald Trump assassination attempt
Channel 4 pulled episode of The Simpsons from schedule after Donald Trump assassination attempt

Channel 4 made the decision to pull an episode of 'The Simpsons' from its schedule after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

The former President of the United States was shot as he hosted a campaign rally for his re-election in Pennsylvania on Saturday (13.07.24).

Trump, 78, was hit by the bullet on his ear before taking cover behind a podium from the gunman's fire. He was then seen with blood running down his face as Secret Service officers came to his aide and and rushed him off stage.

The shooter was later identified as Republican Thomas Matthew Crooks, and he was neutralised by Secret Service snipers on a nearby roof following his actions which resulted in one person being killed and three others injured.

Explosives and bomb making materials were found in his home and car parked near the Trump rally

In the aftermath of the shooting, Channel 4 was due to air 'The Simpsons' episode 'Lisa the Iconoclast' at 1pm on Sunday (14.07.24).

The story - which was first aired as part of Season 7 in 1996 - focuses on Lisa as she discovers that Springfield’s founder Jebediah Springfield was a pirate who tried to assassinate George Washington and viewed the town's citizens with contempt.

Lisa, with help from her father Homer, tries to inform the residents about the truth but they are angered by the revelations.

One scene shows the President being shot at with a rifle, and those fictional events were too close to what had just transpired in America.

Social media users highlighted why the episode was likely pulled from transmission.

X user RopesToInfinity posted: "Wondered at first why Channel 4 just pulled the scheduled broadcast of Lisa The Iconoclast, but I think I get."

X account TejasSandhu wrote: "Top work whoever took the decision but crazy how this of all episodes was the one scheduled. The Simpsons’ weird coincidences continue…"

In place of 'Lisa the Iconoclast', which was the next episode in chronological order, Channel 4 aired a Season 30 episode about self-driving cars instead.