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Blue Peter's 60th anniversary

Split from CBBC Channel (October 2018)

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NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
It's nice to know a program like Blue Peter has remained around for sixty years while other similar programmes have come and gone over the years. Magpie was the biggest ITV equivalent but it only ran for about 12 years. I'm sure there was something else that ran somewhere very similar to Blue Peter and Magpie in format but didn't last very long?
NT
NorthTonight
It's nice to know a program like Blue Peter has remained around for sixty years while other similar programmes have come and gone over the years. Magpie was the biggest ITV equivalent but it only ran for about 12 years. I'm sure there was something else that ran somewhere very similar to Blue Peter and Magpie in format but didn't last very long?


Freetime, presented by Mick Robertson followed on. It was revived later with Andi Peters.

CBTV Channel 14 and Splash! also tried some aspects of the same format on ITV.
JT
jolly turnip
Think CBTV then morphed into Ace Reports? Anneka Rice led programme I think.

Possibly dual branded as CBTV Ace Reports for one series?
PA
parrferris
I think 'Bilidowcar' (BBC Wales/ S4C) - essentially a Welsh language equivalent of BP - may actually have pipped Magpie in terms of longevity, running from 1975 to 1988 according to Wikipedia.
BR
Brekkie
Was a later version I think Gethin Jones hosted - might have been Uned 5.

Interesting however the last decade the turnover of hosts has been much lower compared to my memories of it growing up when it was the norm for there to be a new host every year, partly of course down to being cut back to one show a week.


Anyway, watched the show tonight and think it was very well done. Shame BBC1 didn't sacrifice Pointless for the day.
WH
Whataday Founding member
Uned 5 ran for longer than Bilidowcar, from 1994 to 2010. It also had an incredibly catchy theme tune.
NT
NorthTonight
Was a later version I think Gethin Jones hosted - might have been Uned 5.

Interesting however the last decade the turnover of hosts has been much lower compared to my memories of it growing up when it was the norm for there to be a new host every year, partly of course down to being cut back to one show a week.


Anyway, watched the show tonight and think it was very well done. Shame BBC1 didn't sacrifice Pointless for the day.


Totally agree with your point about Pointless. Also think that the programme has got back on track since the mid 00s where it seemed to lose the plot somewhere. It’s a shame they don’t put it back on twice a week now. I know it’s on all year now, but it still deserves the twice weekly slot.
BR
Brekkie
Or double it to an hour.

Three landmark episodes on the iPlayer - first show from Salford in 2011, the time capsule reveal in 2000 and Tracey Island make from 1993.
JO
Jonwo
I quite liked the Blue Peter special, it was similar in tone to the CBBC 30th anniversary from a few years back.
JA
james-2001
Or double it to an hour.

Three landmark episodes on the iPlayer - first show from Salford in 2011, the time capsule reveal in 2000 and Tracey Island make from 1993.


Would have been good if they'd included the follow up to the time capsule episode where they properly examine the contents, and try to play the tapes and films.
JO
Jonwo
Don’t they have a time capsule that’s due to open in 11 years time?
JA
james-2001
Yes, they bury it at the end of the episode I mentioned where they properly examine the contents. The capsule included both a VHS and Digibeta copy of the episode where they dug the other capsules up.

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