Sesame Street's YouTube video channel was hacked, midday on Sunday (16 October) with its entire contents replaced with hardcore pornography. In addition, the design of the holding page was altered too, with one of the children's show's iconic characters expressing shock, and the words "It's where porn lives" underneath the main logo.

YouTube owner Google managed to remove the site around 20 minutes after the alterations were made live, but it was up long enough to be seen by a large enough audience of kids on a Sunday afternoon.

It is believed that the attack on the Sesame Street channel was undertaken by an anonymous hacker in order to carry out revenge or a prank on MrEdxwx, a YouTube regular who posts gameplay videos. His name was even posted on the altered site as the author of the new content.

Since the hack, he has been inundated with comments on his channel both damning and praising the attack. It has led him to post the following statement (in video form): "I did not hack Sesame Street. I am an honsest (sic) youtuber. I work hard to make quality gameplay videos. AND MOST IMPORTANT I RESPECT COMMUNITY GUIDELINES."

The actual hacker has not come forward. And, we suspect, never will.

Pic: Blurred screengrab taken by TNW before the site's removal