The producers of the iconic television series The Simpsons have released a statement addressing recent reports that the show will stop featuring an ongoing joke.

The joke in question features Homer Simpson, the main character, choking his son Bart, with a recent episode of the series hinting that the joke was officially retired. However, the show's producers have released a new image on the internet, in which Homer is seen choking Bart while his son is holding a phone that reads "Simpsons: No more strangling."

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“Homer Simpson was unavailable for comment as he was busy strangling Bart,” the producers said in a comment, according to Variety.

The recent episode that seemed to hint at retiring the joke was McMansion & Wife, in which Homer greets his neighbor with a handshake. The neighbor compliments Homer on his strong grip, with Homer joking to his wife that "strangling the boy has paid off," then quickly adding, "I don't do that anymore."

Homer choking his son has been a recurring joke in the series, which is currently on its 35th season, though the show has tapered off on featuring the joke for some time. McMansion & Wife was the first episode in a few seasons to acknowledge the joke.

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The show previously hinted that it would bring an end to the gag, as an episode from season 22 featured Homer attending a therapy group and finding out he was harming his son through his attacks. However, the joke resumed in the seasons that followed.

At 35 seasons and counting, The Simpsons is the longest-running scripted series on television; the show has already been greenlit for a 36th season, which will start in 2024.