The return of Blue Peter

Regulars of this blog know how much I love Blue Peter, the BBC Children's magazine show that has been running since 1958 and how from a very early age I have always watched the show from being on black and white 405 line television to today's high definition digital colour.

Thus when it was announced that Derry born Adam Beales who hails from Northern Ireland two days ago as Blue Peter presenter 40 then that would interest me.

Adam is 20 years old and is known as a VLogger (Video Blogger to older sorts) owning the Youtube channel AdamB and had co-present the CBBC show The Dog Ate My Homework which for non British readers is a excuse often trotted out by British schoolchild for missing homework.

Upon being asked about how he felt  about gaining this new role he said "He said: “I’m super excited to become Blue Peter Presenter number 40. I am humbled and ecstatic to be part of such a legendary production."

“It’s kind of weird – in a super exciting way – that the show I once watched when I was younger, is now the show I will be presenting along with the talented Lindsey, Richie, Mwaksy and of course, Henry."

Two other notable Northern Irish presenters from the past include Zoe Salmon and the late Caron Keating

This takes the presenting team up to four which until Richie's arrival had been at two is an indication of just how seriously the BBC takes this show and this is the group photo of the current line up of Richie Driss, Mwaka Mudenda Lindsey Russell, Adam Beales and Henry the dog.

Actually the last time the show had four presenters was around 1970-72 which I remember well with Peter Purves, Lesley Judd, Valerie Singleton and the late but never forgotten John Noakes.

This week the show resumed after a short summer break although various competitions and challenges had been posted on the BP Website and as covid is more under control they were able to be in the studio with a limited audience and showed the winner of the design a supercar competition which was won ten year old Alex being taken around the Auto Car manufacturer Mclaren to see how they are made.

Pix credits: BBC and P A Photos