Peppa Pig is worth how much?

That’s a lot of mullah in that piggy bank.

Neville Astley and Mark Baker were struggling animators who came up with the idea for Peppa in 2000. They teamed up with their television producer friend, Phil Davies and created what is now an international hit show.

The three University friends said that at the beginning they spent a lot of their own money to make Peppa a legitimate idea, and one admitted he only earned 400 pounds (AU$750) in 12 months.

Initially it was all about spending their own savings.

But today the show's parent company (Astley Baker Davies) is now worth over $1 billion. ONE BILLION dollars, and the carton itself is shown in more than 170 countries worldwide.

While digging into their savings at the beginning - watching their saving accounts drain - the trio nearly shelved Peppa Pig, the dream nearly never became a reality.

This very nearly didn't happen.

But that all changed when Channel 5 broadcast the very first episode in 2004. The idea behind the billion dollar show is simple yet VERY effective - episodes revolve around a female pig called Peppa and her family and friends. Each of the characters are different mammal species. The show contains every day activities like swimming, bike riding or visiting grandparents.

The success of the show on Channel 5 saw the first series of 52 five-minute episodes launch in the US in 2005. And as the show's popularity continued to grow merchandise became the only obvious next step.

Today there are over 12,000 Peppa Pig branded products - and that's just going to keep on growing.

Constantly winning.

Yep, we're really kicking ourselves for not thinking up a show revolving around a female pig named Peppa.

Why do you think Peppa Pig became so successful?

SCROLL THROUGH the gallery for some Peppa Pig party inspiration...

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