Konnie Huq, Anthea Turner and more to return to Blue Peter for live 60th anniversary special
Former hosts will join current presenters Radzi Chinyanganya and Lindsey Russell for a one-off special to mark 60 years of the BBC children's series
Here’s one they didn’t make earlier: to celebrate Blue Peter’s 60th Birthday, the longest running children’s TV show in the world will be broadcasting live for a one-off hour-long special.
Blue Peter's Big Birthday extravaganza, set to air on Tuesday 16th October, will look back on the show’s biggest moments and celebrate all 37 current and former Blue Peter presenters.
Former presenters including Konnie Huq, Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves, Anthea Turner and Tim Vincent will also return to the show for a “studio ‘make’ with a difference”.
- Konnie Huq voted Britain’s favourite Blue Peter presenter
- Blue Peter is named the greatest children’s TV show of all time
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The current presenters will also mark the anniversary doing what Blue Peter stars do best: taking on ridiculous challenges.
Lindsey Russell will embark on a solo hot air balloon flight across a frozen lake in the Arctic Circle, while co-host Radzi Chinyanganya is set to board a Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier for some ‘man overboard’ drills. Chinyanganya and viewers will also get a chance to see the Blue Peter Ship riding the ocean waves in all its glory.
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Singer Ed Sheeran will be honoured with a Gold Blue Peter badge, the highest Blue Peter accolade, while Jonas Blue feat HRVY, The Vamps, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor will perform, all accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Blue Peter Diamond Time Capsule will be sealed in The National Archives, and the show will make an announcement about the return of their Bring and Buy Sales campaign in support of BBC Children in Need in November.
Blue Peter editor Ewan Vinnicombe said, “Blue Peter is a very special club to be part of and the Big Birthday show will be a moment to remember and one to watch for all generations of Blue Peter fans. We are celebrating in style so if you’ve got a Blue Peter badge wear it with pride on our big day.”
Blue Peter’s Big Birthday will broadcast on CBBC on Tuesday 16 October from 5pm, and will be repeated on BBC2 at a late date. This will mark a brief return to the BBC’s main channels after Blue Peter was moved from BBC1 to CBBC in 2012.
Blue Peter is on Thursdays at 5.30pm on CBBC
