Blue Peter

That looks awful! Are they now broadcasting from the new Editor's garage?

It's hard to describe the new set, but what we've seen of it suggests it's just a traditional BP mezzanine level with a sofa area underneath it, and to the side is a props cupboard with hard hats and "essential" BP kit inside it. There's also a section with pet "hidey holes" in it beneath the mezzanine.

Otherwise there appears to be little studio space at all.

The second edition had a brief feature on the new look, showing how the set was built (and built to last by all acounts) and installed as a fixture in the new studio. They also showed the Music Makers kids being reunited to record the new theme, but I don't recall seeing Murray Gold there at all.

What I really HATE about the new format is that they've started doing a 20 second catch up of that particular edition before the closing credits. It's along the lines of "If you didn't catch all of today's show, this is what you missed out on" <cue quick whizz through the main items>. It screams to trying to full airtime with repeated trash.

Is there anywhere to get the show online with the item about the set being built. I had a look at the website but it didn't seem to have a catch-up webcast.

I think this says a lot, from Zoe's blog on the website...

Yep - think they've put in a fixed set into the relatively small studio that CBBC bought out for XChange/CBBC channel and which was taken out of service for a period (for a while it held BBC Sport shows whilst their main studio floor was maintained - removing asbestos, then it was maintained - again removing asbestos).

It is less than half the size of the studio Blue Peter previously occupied... And my goodnes doesn't it show? For some reason they seem to be trying to cram lots more set into a much smaller studio - the great thing about the old BP sets were how minimal they often were - giving a feeling of space and possibility.

(I wonder if Children's BBC have still got a buy out on that studio and felt they couldn't justify paying for an empty studio and paying for a second, larger studio, for Blue Peter every week?)

I'm not a big BP fan, never have been and never will be. But I do admit BP used to be something special and different in the world of Kids TV, with all of that studio space and a big range of features from current affairs to entertainment. It was unpredictable, and they never had a set studio either which was different. Now it just appears to look and sound like "just another magazine show". From what I have gathered, it sounds like TMi, except with more 'serious' features.

I think TC2 was the one which had XChange and the CBBC Channel.

I think we can safely say this is the beginning of the end for BP. I'm certainly not going to bother watching it anymore.

To have almost guranteed that they can no longer do any large-scale stuff in the studio has sealed its fate.

Yep - TC2, TC5 and TC7 are all roughly the same size.

TC2 was bought out by kids for XChange/CBBC channel presentation and Newsround Digital when CBBC launched.

Blue Peter's regular studio has been TC4 for many years - with its famous sloping road outside the studio doors that allows vehicles to drive in on-air. On occasions they've moved the show to TC1 - the largest studio at TVC - and other studios similar in size to TC4 (TC6 and TC8) Their previous sets have all been versatile and allowed them to move the show between various sized studios - their current one looks to be a fixed and permanent structure.

I actually stood in TC2 a few weeks ago on a tour of TV Centre. It was tiny (not that I've been in many other TV studios to compare, you understand). You couldn't fit many elephants, double decker buses or hoards of carol singers in there.

I'm too old to watch BP these days, but these latest developments sound a bit depressing. (I would prefer it if things stayed exactly as they are in my distorted memories).

I agree - and it would be kinder to put the programme out of its misery. It's a shame that they've destroyed it by trying to make it the same as every other children's programme format. Even Biddy Baxter interviewed on PM on Radio 4 the other week, said it would be better to start again than to have a programme called Blue Peter that had little resemblence to what the viewers recognised.

Why can't they turn it around?
I know that its only just the start of the series, but surely they could turn it around by reverting the theme back, and get rid of that set. Even though the studio is small, if they had the coloured curtain around the studio instead of a fixed set and pick out elements of the design.

Saying that the actual set isn't that bad, it just appears to be the seating area, whats with the fake wall, why don't they get rid, make that simpler and add a decent sofa, that one looks horrible, something that you may find in a discount place.

I must agree with those comments about background music and crew laughing, it's ok to hear them laugh, but for it to be so over the top is annoying.

I saw this for the first time yesterday.

It. Was. Awful.

That theme tune is barely a cheap parody of Barnacle Bill , the titles are horrible, and the set would be vastly improved if that screen between the sofas was removed. This is Blue Peter , not Breakfast .