SHAKE UP
Iconic kids TV show Blue Peter to make major change after 66 years as devastated staff have ‘no idea what’s going on’
Watch Lulu the Elephant causing chaos with John Noakes, Peter Purves and Valerie Singleton in 1969 on Blue Peter
LEGENDARY children’s TV show Blue Peter will no longer be broadcast live – leaving devastated staff reeling from the shock move.
The long-running BBC programme, which first aired in 1958, has been a staple of British childhoods for generations.
6
6
6
6
It is currently broadcast from MediaCityUK in Salford, and airs on digital TV channel CBBC on Fridays at 5 p.m.
Its former star Simon Thomas shared the news on Instagram, writing: "Apparently (I had no idea) today is the last ever LIVE Blue Peter on television.
"The show isn’t finishing, there is apparently going to be a show online; just not live on the TV anymore."
Insiders claim the move was kept a secret by the show’s bosses, and its current presenters Shini Muthukrishnan, Joel Mawhinney and Abby Cook were unaware of the decision.
‘A HUGE SHOCK’
A show insider revealed the move had been kept under wraps for months, with many crew members still unaware of the full details.
“Of course, this has been in the works for months,” the source told The Mail on Sunday.
“The big bosses all knew what was happening, and those they did tell were told to keep it quiet. It’s a huge shock, and a number of the crew still have no idea what’s going on.”
At its peak, Blue Peter was broadcast three times a week on BBC One, making household names of presenters including Anthea Turner, Peter Purves, Valerie Singleton, and Peter Duncan.
Most read in News TV
Famous for its make-and-do segments, legendary pets, and coveted Blue Peter badges, the show has remained a cosy favourite for kids over the decades.
The BBC said it had made the decision because viewing habits have changed.
They also said a number of the crew “still have no idea what’s going on” and it “has all been handled very badly”.
The show’s director Martin Williams-Neale said Friday’s was the last live show and he was “proud to be directing it”.
He added: “It really is the end of an era.”
Richard Bacon, who presented the show between February 1997 and October 1998 described his time on the show as a “magical experience” and said the show being live is what “made it alive”
Bacon, 49, who was sacked after admitting taking cocaine, said: “I love and loved that show. Even if it caused some bother.
“At 21, hosting live in TV Centre’s (the BBC’s former London headquarters) vast studios was wonderful.”
At its peak, the show, which has been a mix of live and pre-recorded shows in recent years, attracted 8 million views.
The BBC said pre-recorded shows will continue to air on CBBC, Sign Zone, BBC2 and iPlayer.
A spokeswoman told The Sun: “The programme will not be online only, but on CBBC, sign zone, BBC2 and iPlayer.
Read More on The Sun
“Ways to watch Blue Peter will not change for audiences.
"Blue Peter has been a mix of live and pre-recorded shows for decades and we have transitioned to a pre-record model as viewing habits change."
6
6
Topics