This programme should have ended when the brilliant editor Richard Marson was sacked.
Well he wasn't that brilliant or he'd not have been sacked for the two dodgy items. As far as I am concerned the competition where a kid was picked from the studio floor was far more troubling an error than the cat issue which did seem to have a legitimate concern behind it (that there was a sudden rush for Cookie and it seemed suspicious).
The show has been on its last legs for a while though, its not a new thing. I was always surprised they didn't make more use of the brand on the launch of the CBBC channel instead of the crummy xchange. Bigging up BP into the magazine that held the channel together may have allowed it both the profile and the budget to avoid the more recent decline.
Yet I recall, as a thirteen year old, moaning how poor Blue Peter was getting, having but two years previously enthusiasticly joined in one of those bring and buy things. It does seem to be like "music these days" in that it always seems shoddier to older audiences than they remember it being.
Late. Telegraph are playing catch-up. Not only was it already mentioned in this thread, I also pointed out that if there was going to be one, it would've been released two months ago.
Late. Telegraph are playing catch-up. Not only was it already mentioned in this thread, I also pointed out that if there was going to be one, it would've been released two months ago.
Well, get you. Must make you feel all warm inside.
We all thought it was doomed a few years ago when Konnie, Gethin and Zoe quit within six months of each other - but it had a bit of a second wind under Helen, Joel and Andy. Yes, the news in recent days and weeks hasn't been good - but ultimately I think (or hope) it'll work though the changes once again and find it's feet.
I think the shows biggest problem in recent years has been this idea that CBBC is aimed at 6-12 year olds when really historically Blue Peter (and most 5pm CBBC shows) aimed a little bit older than that, hence all the talk of 10-12 year olds now now. Ratings wise too I wonder if the best way to secure the future of Blue Peter is to make it exclusive to the CBBC channel in a 5.15pm slot (or later) considering flagship shows on the channel itself generally rate better than the CBBC slot on BBC1.
That Guardian article is a bit confused. They seem to have a few random quotes from the editor and tried to make a story out of it. It says pets are going but then says Barney will still be there. It seems the cats aren't going completely, but won't be on the show as much. It probably shouldn't be too much of a surprise, I imagine dogs relocate to a new home much better than cats (and as it says, Barney is looked after by Helen). And then it says Lucy wasn't replaced, but there's no rule that says they must have two dogs.
They've also completely ignored probably the biggest sign for concern which is that Andy doesn't appear to have been replaced, with is either a sign that the budget can't stretch to three presenters anymore (and it's been acknowledged since the sixties that three are needed to cover a twice-weekly show) or that the programme's scope has been limited to the extent that only two are required anymore. They could also have mentioned the lack of summer expedition or annual. I have to say I'm surprised about the annual - although it has disappeared before (1993-7) I'd have thought the collector's and Christmas market would have kept it alive, just as The Beano and Dandy annuals still carry on in a much more traditional form than the regular comics. I was in WH Smith this week and there's certainly no shortage of annuals so they're not going out of fashion just yet...
Even when I was a kid back in the 80s/early 90's annuals felt very old fashioned - so in the days when people can read about stuff on the show almost instantaneously in blogs the biggest surprise is it lasted so long.
AP
aprilj
Perhaps Blue Peter on Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm on CBBC Channel. Then a repeat of both on Sunday mornings at 9am on BBC Two.
Is Blue Peter the only CBBC programme that receives it's premiere on BBC One (or Two) now? Isn't everything else either first on the channel or simulcast? Other than the Newsround 1700 bulletin, I guess.
I wonder if the new format will have more studio and less location filming, or more pre-recorded shows and fewer live?
In the days of three presenters and every show being live, they had to have the flexibility for a presenter to be location filming on a show day, with only two presenters on the show?
With only two presenters, this suggests there are fewer studio days, fewer filming days or both?
Good to see that the studio appears to be in a real studio, and not a cheap office conversion. Be interesting to see if the change of direction works - historically few shows manage to re-invent themselves succesfully. (Top Gear being a notable exception)