Introducing... Judy and Mr Punch: Puppeteer, 20, stops beloved character beating up his wife over fears it 'promotes domestic violence and misogyny'

It is a staple of British entertainment that spans back nearly four centuries.

But a fresh adaptation of Punch and Judy has taken on a modern, politically-correct twist - by stopping the beloved puppets from hitting each other.

Concerned parents and teachers have previously argued that the violent content of the renowned puppet show isn't appropriate for children.

In 1947, the Middlesex County Council tried to ban Punch and Judy from schools, but the resulting outcry led to the eventual reinstatement.

Fast forward to 2024 and one puppeteer has brought an end to Punch's infamous whacking of his wife, amid fears it promotes domestic violence and misogyny.

Spike Lidington, 20, who performs in London's Covent Garden, has decided that after 362 years of marriage, Punch and Judy should instead work together as partners in crime, and take their violence out on other characters rather than each other. 

The modern show has been developed by the University of Exeter as part of the Judy Project - an investigation into the roles women have played in puppet shows and how gender is portrayed.

Now, Punch and Judy will hand out punishment to police offices, devils and crocodiles instead of one another - which previously sparked concerns around the show being likened to domestic violence. 

In the modern version, the puppets will have arguments but 'don't hit each other with sticks,' The Times reported.

Dr Tony Lidington, Spike's father, shrugged off accusations of the show being a 'woke makeover'.

He told The Guardian: 'Woke simply means being aware of the society you live in and the people around you, so I'm more than happy to be called woke. '

Punch and Judy has previously been subject to criticism over misogyny as Judy often nags her husband and is sometimes bears the brunt of his blows.

But in Lidington's version, she 'has some agency' and survives beyond the first scene and 'is not a victim'.

He told The Times: 'They act more as a double act than as a subservient wife to a funny man.'

In 2018, a puppeteer slammed political correctness for 'killing fun and laughter' after a school cancelled his Punch and Judy show.

He had refused to ensure Punch didn't hit Judy when a Middlesbrough school requested it.