Ex-Blue Peter presenters Anthea Turner and Janet Ellis vow to ‘save’ children's show

Anthea Turner and Janet Ellis have vowed to “save” ‘Blue Peter’.

The former children’s TV presenters have voiced their concerns over the BBC’s plans to experiment with the show's format, including potential plans to pre-record the show instead of broadcasting it live.

Anthea, 63, who presented the series from 1992 to 1994, told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “We’ve got all the credentials, we’ve got our badges – of course we’d go back.”

Janet, 68 - who fronted the programme from 1983 until 1987 - added: “We could save ‘Blue Peter’.”

Anthea admitted it would be “a shame” if the show was pre-recorded, because the programme would not be able to offer viewers and presenters “that edge” live broadcasts have.

She said: “It will be a shame if it’s not live. ‘Blue Peter’ needs presenters who can work live.

"It needs that edge - live will always give you that edge.”

Janet joked her five grandchildren - her pop star daughter Sophie-Ellis Bextor’s kids Sonny, 20, Kit, 14, Ray, 12, Jesse, eight and Micky, five - refused to believe she ever hosted the programme due to her age.

She laughed: “My grandsons don’t believe I was on it.

“They can’t believe I ever did it, because they think, ‘Why would they let old people on?’”

While the BBC are “open” to changing the format of ‘Blue Peter’, the network insisted there are “categorically” no plans to cancel the show, which has been running since 1958.

In a statement made in October 2023, a spokesperson said: “The future for ‘Blue Peter’ is bright.

“‘Blue Peter’ still inspires children, as seen with the popularity of the new ‘Blue Peter’ book badge launched last month, and it continues to be a much-loved part of the CBBC line up, celebrating its 65th birthday just this week.”