Movies

Blue Peter’s Woke Downfall

BBG News

Blue Peter, at one point, served as the BBC’s leading program, holding the title for the longest-running children’s show globally. During its peak, it attracted approximately eight million viewers each Monday and Thursday evening, traditionally known as teatime.

The iconic flagship is no longer afloat; it’s been intentionally sunk and decommissioned. Rather than keeping it on the air as a source of pride, the network has decided to halt its live broadcast of this cherished 66-year-old program.

From now on, it’ll only be prerecorded and broadcast online – a hint that its termination is imminent.

Isn’t it just expected, given that the BBC seems to dislike everything that Blue Peter embodies – creativity, family entertainment, and a drive for success?

Over the past few years, as executives at Broadcasting House emphasized themes of value and self-righteousness in their programming, viewership dropped significantly to under 40,000 viewers. In response, they scaled back the show to only air one live episode per week.

With negligence and poor management from the organization that should have cherished it, this once esteemed national institution has effectively been brought to ruin.

‘Here’s one I refined (or messed up) earlier.’

In the past, the hosts of Blue Peter were well-known figures who appeared to be an enduring part of our daily existence.

Twice a week, and for over a decade (from 1965 to 1978), the fearless John Noakes made regular appearances on screen, never missing a beat. He showcased his daring exploits, including an impressive climb up Nelson’s Column in his jeans.

In different time periods, colleagues Val Singleton and Peter Purves worked for ten and eleven years respectively, while during a subsequent phase, Konnie Huq held the record as the longest-serving female host, hosting the program for a full decade starting from 1997.

If the presenters were considered national icons, it’s worth noting that their pets also held a special place in our hearts. Regardless of whether you belong to the Baby Boomer, Generation X, or Millennial generation, it’s those beloved Blue Peter dogs from your childhood that truly reveal your age.

I was born in the 1960s: My dogs were named Petra, Patch, and Shep. To those of you who are younger, my dogs might have been a golden retriever named Bonnie or a border collie called Mabel.

Initially, Blue Peter was cherished for its blend of practical wisdom and entertaining frivolity. Yet, over time, it turned into a series that was almost unbearably didactic, making it difficult to watch.

Originally removed from BBC1 and now confined to the CBBC children’s channel (channel 201 for those unaware), this program was once privately referred to as a ‘very troubled and declining vessel’ by insiders only two years ago.

The budget got reduced since the program was only allowed to air live once a week, specifically on Fridays, with a re-run scheduled for Saturdays.

Once upon a time, I led my team on thrilling global escapades, from the vibrant streets of Marrakech to the colorful markets of Mexico City, and even to the enchanting shores of Sri Lanka. Now, we’ve adapted to a new reality, finding creativity and inspiration in repurposing leftovers from previous productions. It’s a different journey, but every bit as exciting!

Due to a high demand for budget-friendly content, the team of presenters, Abby Cook, Shini Muthukrishnan, and Joel Mawhinney, have started reading letters from viewers weekly, which was previously only done on local radio stations.

But, by far, the worst aspect has become the constant emphasis on political correctness. 

A noteworthy event featured Abby going to a racetrack, where she got the chance to experience a model of a Formula E car, crafted using repurposed electronic waste.

The makeshift machine, primarily built using computer motherboards and repurposed smartphones bonded with adhesive, managed a speed barely surpassing a leisurely walk.

Abby honored her builders with a ‘Blue Peter green badge’ as a recognition for their efforts in promoting ‘environmental concerns’.

Among several fresh additions, it includes a new badge that joins the classic blue, silver, and gold ones. Some other badges are available in shades of purple and orange, symbolically representing the series’ focus on the LGBT rainbow flag.

According to the Blue Peter site, the rainbow flag carries six significant messages. The section titled ‘Key Facts About Pride’ provides four crucial insights, while another segment named ‘The Significance of the Colors in the Pride Flag’ explains what each color represents. Furthermore, this page presents a fun quiz to help kids confirm their understanding of every shade’s meaning.

Back in the ’70s, I was all about the Green Cross Code, ensuring safety on the road for my fellow pedestrians. But fast-forward a few decades, and it’s like we’ve leaped from that to an entirely different level of fascination!

On webpages, children are invited to share: ‘Which black individuals do you admire most?’ They are also motivated to create their unique eco-decorations (eco-bunting) and prepare ‘custardless banana dessert cups’ (vegan banana pudding cups).

The cumulative impact feels draining and overpowering, like an excessive sense of importance. Unfortunately, the beloved British kids’ program has transformed into a representation of progressive ideology, known as “Woke Peter.

Even the theme tune was ruined. 

The lively, rhythmic, and infectious sailor’s hornpipe has been reinterpreted more than a dozen times, with versions ranging from the rock genre by the renowned Tubular Bells composer, Mike Oldfield, among others.

It has undergone such a significant transformation that you likely wouldn’t even know it’s the same song today. The original melody was almost entirely erased, replaced by a chaotic symphony of electronic sounds, drum machine percussion, synthetic hand-claps, and high-pitched whistles.

The sound continues for forty seconds, but it’s not until the final eight seconds that Barnacle Bill makes his appearance, slipping in as if he were an embarrassing ex-coworker that the BBC wishes to distance itself from.

No wonder children don’t want to watch.

Indeed, television has undergone significant transformations from the era of Val, John, and Pete. However, it wasn’t all that long ago when several millions of people were still captivated by what they saw on TV.

In 2011, I had to bid farewell to that beloved show of mine as it moved over to the CBBC channel. Viewership dropped drastically, reaching almost nil, and an attempt to rebroadcast it in 2017 went unseen by any audience member at all.

Val Singleton, a seasoned 87-year-old television figure with a career encompassing current affairs programs like The Money Programme and quiz shows such as Backdate, is convinced that transitioning to a lesser-known channel was a significant error.

Back in 2023 she told me: ‘There was still interest, and that all suddenly evaporated.

I don’t recall the last time I saw it, but I used to watch it faithfully. If they bring it back on BBC1, that might make it popular again among families… provided it has quality content.

People often approach me when I’m out, sharing their enthusiasm about earning the Blue Peter badge, as they enjoyed it tremendously even till now.

Most notably, Val laments the disappearance of an educational resource that allowed the BBC to carry out numerous acts of kindness – ‘the heartwarming charity campaigns during Christmas, in which countless individuals participated.’

For example, the “treasure hunt” in 1972 resulted in gathering 225 tons of scrap metal, which generated sufficient funds to construct two senior centers and equip eight mobile meal vans.

She likewise dislikes the overly enthusiastic attitude of the speakers, which instead of drawing kids in, might cause them to run and hide.

She noted that we had merely greeted each other. It turns out that it wasn’t just children who were observing. There were many adults tuned in as well, and not just the parents.

‘Actors and actresses used to tell me they watched before setting off to the theatre. 

Maybe, during certain evening events, I often daydreamed that the Queen could be observing me.

What a sweet notion! Blue Peter, by the grace of the monarchy. The BBC seems blissfully unaware of the treasure they’ve discarded.

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2025-03-24 18:04

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