In response to the recent spate of violent US tragedies, NBC will not be airing an upcoming episode of its new series Hannibal. Variety reports that episode four — which features a storyline involving children killing other children — will be skipped next week, and the series' fifth episode will air instead. Hannibal revolves around the relationship between an FBI investigator and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a character best known from Silence of the Lambs.

The decision was made after series creator Bryan Fuller contacted the network, telling NBC that "given the cultural climate right now in the US, I think we shouldn't air the episode in its entirety."

It's just the latest in a series of reactions by the entertainment industry made in response to recent events. ABC has temporarily pushed an episode of Castle that features a bomb, and Fox pulled an episode of Family Guy offline after two scenes from the show were cut together in order to push a conspiracy theory. The fourth episode of Hannibal will still air internationally.