Blue Peter bosses have taken dramatic steps in recent years to ensure the world’s longest-running children’s TV show doesn’t become obsolete – including introducing its first non-human presenter and axing its live format after more than six decades.
The BBC programme, which has been on air since 1958, has faced plummeting viewing figures as it struggles to compete with YouTube and TikTok.
Once watched by millions, the show now averages just 37,700 viewers, with a notorious re-run in 2017 recording zero viewers, The Times reports.
Now, in an effort to capture the attention of a new generation, producers are revamping almost every aspect of the format.
Having first moved from London’s Television Centre to Salford in 2011, Blue Peter has relocated again – this time to a smaller city-centre studio in Manchester.
The new set, housed in a Grade II listed building, has been designed to look more like the homes of online influencers than a traditional TV studio.
Blue Peter bosses have taken dramatic steps in recent years to ensure the children’s TV show doesn’t become obsolete – including the end of live shows
The BBC programme, which has been on air since 1958, has faced plummeting viewing figures as it struggles to compete with YouTube and TikTok
Gone is the glossy black vinyl floor, and in its place are exposed brick walls, wooden flooring and a colourful geometric rug, aiming for a warm and modern feel.
Joel Mawhinney, 25, who is currently the show’s oldest presenter, said the redesign was an important shift for young viewers. ‘The old set was quite jarring,’ he explained. ‘Now it feels like a loft where we’re all just having fun.’
The most surprising move came with the announcement that Mawhinney and his co-presenters, Abby Cook and Shini Muthukrishnan, will be joined by CBBC favourite Hacker T Dog.
The puppet character will officially become Blue Peter’s 44th presenter next month – and its very first non-human host.
Equally significant has been the decision to scrap the tradition of live broadcasts, a hallmark of the show since its launch.
Episodes are now pre-recorded and edited ‘as live’, with producers insisting the change allows more freedom and flexibility.
The move sparked disappointment from former presenters who argued live TV gave the show its edge.
Simon Thomas, who fronted Blue Peter from 1999 to 2005, said: ‘The last years of the golden age of children’s TV… when audiences were measured in the millions rather than the thousands.’
Anthea Turner, who became a household name after her famous Thunderbirds Tracy Island craft demonstration (pictured), said she felt the loss of the live shows
The most surprising move came with the announcement that the presenters will be joined by CBBC favourite Hacker T Dog (pictured)
Anthea Turner, who presented from 1992 to 1994 and became a household name after her famous Thunderbirds Tracy Island craft demonstration, admitted she felt the loss. ‘It needs that edge – live will always give you that edge,’ she said.
But Turner was also optimistic, praising the programme’s ability to adapt. ‘Blue Peter has always grown with its audience,’ she insisted while joining fellow alumni Diane-Louise Jordan, Konnie Huq and Radzi Chinyanganya at the unveiling of the new studio.
Many ex-presenters agreed that the real loss would be felt most by those hosting the show. Turner described her time on live Blue Peter as ‘the university of television’ – a crash course in broadcasting that tested presenters to their limits.
Chinyanganya echoed that view, explaining: ‘Nothing I’ve done has been anything different to what I already faced numerous times on Blue Peter. I will forever be grateful. But at the same time, if you don’t adapt, you die.’
Producers insist the pre-recorded approach will actually increase the chances of viral success.
Without the pressure of live broadcasting, current presenters say they can be more relaxed – with slip-ups and spontaneous moments still making it into the final cut.
‘Many of the show’s most famous ‘live’ mishaps were actually pre-recorded,’ said Cook, pointing to the 1969 incident when Lulu the elephant relieved herself on the studio floor.
‘We’re not going to cut out all the silly bits and make it so polished. It’s still going to have that feel of spontaneity.’
The new set has been designed to look more like the homes of online influencers than a traditional TV studio (L to R: Shini Muthukrishnan, Abby Cook and Joel Mawhinney)
Many of the show’s most famous ‘live’ mishaps were actually pre-recorded, including the 1969 incident when Lulu the elephant relieved herself on the studio floor (pictured)
Episodes are also being edited with faster pacing, designed to match the snappy style of the videos children consume on platforms such as TikTok.
‘Everybody’s viewing habits have changed and it’s most pronounced among kids,’ said editor Ellen Evans.
‘If we sat down and watched a show from 30 years ago, we would find the pace slow, and that’s not because kids don’t have attention spans. We as grown-ups would find the pace slow. So I think adding that pace and dynamism to the edit is important.’
Despite the changes, bosses insist some elements remain ‘absolutely sacrosanct’ – including the show’s bond with its young audience.
Children continue to write in letters, which are read and replied to by a dedicated team at MediaCity, and Blue Peter badges remain a sought-after prize.
But questions remain over whether these traditions will be enough to keep the show afloat.
The days of eight million weekly viewers are long gone, and its YouTube channel currently has just 61,000 subscribers – far fewer than the social media followings of its own presenters.
Executives argue that success can no longer be measured by linear viewing figures alone. Instead, the focus is on engagement across multiple platforms, from iPlayer to Instagram.
Despite the changes, bosses insist some elements remain ‘absolutely sacrosanct’ – including the show’s bond with its young audience
As it approaches its 70th anniversary, the challenge for Blue Peter is to preserve the heart of the show while proving it can survive in the fast-moving digital age.
It follows news that two of the show’s current hosts have been secretly dating for a year.
Shini Muthukrishnan, 22, and Joel Mawhinney, 25, are said to have fallen for each other almost immediately after she joined the show in January last year and they are ‘practically living together’.
Sources say they have tried to keep their romance under wraps but their secret has recently been discovered by some of their colleagues.
One said: ‘Shini and Joel hit it off instantly and became great friends before anything romantic happened between them.
‘They keep their work and personal lives completely separate and are the consummate professionals on set. They’ve been very discreet but a lot of people working on the show know about their off-screen relationship.
‘Blue Peter has been sailing some choppy waters recently so it’s some really lovely, happy news for the show that they have created this wonderful love story.’
