List of Blue Peter presenters

Infobox Television
show_name = Blue Peter


caption = The "Blue Peter" logo
genre = Children's
Entertainment
runtime = 25 minutes
creator = John Hunter Blair
country = UK
channel = BBC One
CBBC Channel
first_aired = 16 October 1958
last_aired = present
website = http://www.bbc.co.uk/bluepeter
imdb_id = 0051257

"Blue Peter" is a British children's television programme created by John Hunter Blair. The first programme was broadcast on 16 October 1958,cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/462144/ |title=Blue Peter (1958- ) |accessdate=2008-07-06 |last=McGown |first=Alistair |publisher=British Film Institute ] and the series still airs as of 2008.cite news |first=Ben |last=Dowell |title=Gethin Jones leaves Blue Peter |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/apr/08/bbc.television1 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |location=Clerkenwell, London |date=2008-04-08 |accessdate=2008-07-06 ] It is the longest running children's television programme in the world, [cite news |title=Entertainment Children crown best TV shows |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/195632.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC Online |date=1998-10-18 |accessdate=2008-07-07 ] [cite news |first=Tim |last=de Lisle |title=How much is a "Blue Peter" badge worth? |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2006/mar/28/features11.g2 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |location=Clerkenwell, London |page=3 (G2) |date=2006-03-28 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] and also one of the longest running television programmes in the world.cite episode |title=Yoghurt Pots and Sticky-Backed Plastic |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/history/ |series=Britain in a Box |credits=Paul Jackson |network=BBC Radio 4 |station= |city= |airdate=2003-05-24 ] "Blue Peter" airs twice-weekly in the United Kingdom on the CBBC programming block of BBC One, a terrestrial television channel, and the CBBC Channel, a digital terrestrial television channel. "Blue Peter" is produced in a magazine format, often transmitting live, and features a combination of studio presentation, interviews and outside broadcasting items. There have been thirty-two presenters of "Blue Peter". [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/content/articles/2005/11/16/dyk_bluepeterhistory_feature.shtml |title=The History of Blue Peter |accessdate=2008-07-06 |date=2005-11-16 |publisher=BBC Online ] This figure rises to thirty-four in September 2008 as Zöe Salmon and Gethin Jones, who both departed in June 2008, are replaced by Helen Skelton and Joel Defries.

The first presenters of "Blue Peter" were Christopher Trace and Leila Williams. Trace presented for over eight years, and Williams for over three years. When the programme's original editor John Hunter Blair was taken ill and left the programme, his replacement Clive Parkhurst fired Leila Williams. Christopher Trace presented the programme alone until a replacement was found. The role eventually went to Anita West, who presented "Blue Peter" for just sixteen editions over four months—the shortest tenure of any presenter—in 1962, before being fired due to her imminent divorce, and its perceived inappropriateness for a presenter of a children's programme in this era. [cite news |first=Marc |last=Horne |title=One gay "Blue Peter" host, some lippy and a frock – all you need to make your own Fringe show |url=http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/One-gay-Blue-Peter-host.4210625.jp |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Press |location=Edinburgh, Scotland |date=2008-06-22 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] Her tenure was so short that no footage from her time on show exists in the BBC Archives.cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/west.shtml |title=Anita West |accessdate=2008-07-03 |year=2005 |month=April |work=I Love Blue Peter |publisher=BBC Online ] Ironically, her audition for the show has survived in the archives, along with that of Valerie Singleton, who was passed over for the job when it was offered to West. It was not until 1998 that West was even recognised as a former presenter. [cite news |first=Scott |last=Matthewman |title=Stop the "TV cheats" madness! |work=The Stage |location=London |date=2007-03-26 |quote=This is the TV show ... who denied Anita West a place in the programme’s list of past presenters until 1998 ] John Noakes is the longest-serving male presenter, having presented the show for over twelve years, and Konnie Huq is the longest-serving female presenter, with a tenure of over ten years, narrowly beating Valerie Singleton by three months. However, although Singleton left the programme full time in 1972, she in fact continued to be an irregular presenter of the programme through to 1975, at the same time fronting the spin off programme "Blue Peter Special Assignment". Whenever Singleton appeared on Blue Peter post 1972, she was always credited as the senior presenter at the top of the credits, even if her only contribution on the given show was a film clip from the assignment series. The youngest presenter of "Blue Peter" was Yvette Fielding, who was eighteen when she began presenting,cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/fielding.shtml |title=Yvette Fielding |accessdate=2008-07-03 |year=2005 |month=April |work=I Love Blue Peter |publisher=BBC Online ] and the oldest was John Noakes, who was forty-four when he left the show.cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/noakes.shtml |title=John Noakes |accessdate=2008-07-03 |year=2005 |month=April |work=I Love Blue Peter |publisher=BBC Online ] Only one presenter, Peter Duncan, has had two stints of presenting the show, his first being from 1980 to 1984, and his second being from 1985 to 1986.cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/duncan.shtml |title=Peter Duncan |accessdate=2008-07-03 |year=2005 |month=April |work=I Love Blue Peter |publisher=BBC Online ]

Many former presenters of "Blue Peter" have been plagued by scandals which have effectively ended their television careers. A light-hearted documentary produced by North One Television titled "The Curse of Blue Peter" aired on the rival television channel Five on 1 September 2003, [cite episode |title=The Curse of "Blue Peter" |series=The Curse of... |network=Five |airdate=2003-09-01 ] detailing the fates of "Blue Peter" presenters, and featured interviews with past presenters. [cite news |first=Andrew |last=Billen |title=Putting the boot in |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200309080037 |work=New Statesman |location=London |date=2003-09-08 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/cult/2003/08/28/6507.shtml |title=The Curse of "Blue Peter" |accessdate=2008-07-03 |date=2003-09-01 |publisher=BBC Online ] Christopher Trace cheated on his wife with a nineteen-year-old girl while on location in Norway in 1968. The BBC fired him, his wife divorced him, and he eventually took a job as a taxi driver before declaring himself bankrupt.cite news |first=Tim |last=Latcham |title="Blue Peter": The Dark Side |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/latest/tm_headline=blue-peter--the-dark-side&method=full&objectid=18762596&siteid=89520-name_page.html |work=Daily Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |location=Canary Wharf, London |date=2007-03-16 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] Michael Sundin did not have his contract renewed in 1985 as he was unpopular with viewers. After leaving the programme a newspaper outed him as being gay and video emerged of him dancing with male strippers. Clips of Peter Duncan appearing in a 1975 pornography movie, "The Lifetaker" surfaced, [cite news |first=Simon |last=Hattenstone |title=Peter Pan |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1275396,00.html |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |location=Clerkenwell, London |date=2004-08-04 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] and John Leslie was arrested in 2002 and 2008 following numerous allegations relating to rape and assault. [cite news |first=Gerard |last= Seenan |title=TV presenter John Leslie arrested on rape and indecent assault claims |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/dec/06/broadcasting.uknews |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |location=Clerkenwell, London |date=2002-12-06 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] [cite news |title=John Leslie arrested over rape allegation |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4201917.ece |work=The Times |publisher=News International |location=Wapping, London |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] On 18 October 1998, the tabloid newspaper "The News of the World" reported on its front page that Richard Bacon had taken cocaine. [cite news |title="Blue Peter" goody-goody is a cocaine-snorting sneak |work=News of the World News Group Newspapers |location=Wapping, London |page=1 |date=1998-10-18 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] The following day Lorraine Heggessey, then Head of Children's BBC, appeared on BBC One informing viewers that "Richard admits that he has done this and that he very much regrets it. I believe that Richard has not only let himself down ... but he's also let all of you down badly".cite news |first=Silver |last=James |title='I should be out of work' |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/19/mondaymediasection.bbc |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian Media Group |location=Clerkenwell, London| page=5 (Media Guardian) |date=2007-11-19 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] He was released from his contract immediately. [cite news |title="Blue Peter" Presenter Sacked |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/195947.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC Online |date=1998-10-18 |accessdate=2008-07-03 ] Richard Bacon's television career survived his scandal, and he has since presented "The Big Breakfast", "Top of the Pops", and numerous radio shows.

Presenters

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bluepeter Official BBC "Blue Peter" website]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/ BBC "I Love "Blue Peter" Classic TV website]
* [http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/bluepeter/bluepeter.htm Museum of Broadcast Communications]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050312/ai_n12945891 The A–Z of "Blue Peter"] news article in "The Independent