Blue Peter has been removed from our television screens after nearly seven decades and former presenters have voiced their regret at the ‘terrible decision’. 

TV star Yvette Fielding, 56, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘How sad this is. Blue Peter wasn’t just for children it was made for the whole family to enjoy. 

‘The late princess Diana commented to me that she loved to curl up on the sofa with Harry and Wills and watch the show together. This is true of so many British families and it annoys and saddens me to discover that this wonderful show is to be axed.’

In 1987, aged 18, Ms Fielding became the youngest presenter on the BBC television programme.

She added: ‘Shame on the people who have made this terrible decision, and chose to desert a British insтιтution instead of supporting it.’

Janet Ellis, who appeared on the show from 1983 to 1987, has also lamented the loss of the cherished television tradition.

Blue Peter has been removed from our television screens after nearly seven decades and former presenters have voiced their regret at the ‘terrible decision’. Yvette Fielding told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Shame on the people who have made this terrible decision, and chose to desert a British insтιтution instead of supporting it’

Janet Ellis, who appeared on the show from 1983 to 1987, has also lamented the loss of the cherished television tradition 

The 69-year-old TV star shared her upset at the end of an era, telling The Mail on Sunday: ‘I’m sad that the current presenters and any that follow won’t experience the thrill (and it is a thrill) of doing the programme live. There’s a fantastic sense of teamwork in the studio on a live TX.’

Ms Ellis, mother of Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, reflected on the unique experience of live broadcasting.

‘Yes things can and do “go wrong” but that’s in inverted commas because the viewer is in on that moment, which is a shared privilege. Mostly, things go right but with added immediacy and spark.’

She described her time on the show as ‘a huge and happy part of my life,’ adding: ‘Quite apart from numerous fond memories, people of a certain age say hello to me regularly. They’re my extended family and they’ve all turned out well!’

‘I never set out to be a presenter – I was, and still am, an actress (and now writer). But if you’re going to present something, the biggest children’s show on TV in those days is a good place to start. It’s an amazing thing to have been part of people’s childhood.’

Ms Ellis also praised the show’s legacy, saying: ‘The show was and is special because it has always aimed itself at the same age group- 8-12 year olds – and has never talked down to them. 

‘Most of the programme’s content is viewer-generated. It challenges and questions and enjoys their lives and the world around them, always showing that it’s still a good world to grow up in.’

She added there were broader changes in children’s television, saying: ‘Children’s TV has changed a lot over the last few years, of course. This is not a death knell, merely a mirror – this decision reflects that change. But it’s still produced with the same energy and enthusiasm and bucket loads of talent. And having a Blue Peter badge still counts for a lot!’

Ms Ellis, mother of Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, said: ‘I’m sad that the current presenters and any that follow won’t experience the thrill (and it is a thrill) of doing the programme live. There’s a fantastic sense of teamwork in the studio on a live TX’

Zoe Salmon, 45, said: ‘There is nothing like live TV, the buzz you get from it is everything! Wearing my earpiece and being counted down to live and then having the hard count out to end the show on time – there is nothing more exhilarating!’

Zoe Salmon was a presenter on the BBC’S Blue Peter from 2004 to 2008

Zoe Salmon, 45, who hosted the children’s television programme from 2004 to 2008, also shared her thoughts, telling the Mail on Sunday: ‘It is sad news but viewing has changed so much and it is a sign of the times, and Blue Peter is simply moving with the times.

‘It was an absolute privilege and honour to work on Blue Peter; to have landed my first ever presenting job working in live TV was more than I ever could have dreamt of. 

‘There is nothing like live TV, the buzz you get from it is everything! Wearing my earpiece and being counted down to live and then having the hard count out to end the show on time – there is nothing more exhilarating! 

‘Those precious minutes we often had between end of run-through to going live – literally sometimes just several minutes for notes, changes – sometimes huge changes where sections would be completely axed and changed, and we had minutes to remember all the changes before live transmission – equal parts of scary yet absolutely thrilling! There is not a feeling like live TV.

‘I was extremely fortunate to have landed my role on Blue Peter at a time when our audience was in the millions, I never lose sight of how wonderful my experience was. To have presented live TV, 5pm on BBC1, 5 days a week, I was living the presenting dream. 

‘The camaraderie among the huge terrific team – from the chats on the studio floor with the camera crew, the magic of the set and design team, the lovely sound of the gallery in my earpiece, and the trips up the studio steps to see the gallery in person too, with all the monitors and all the magic of live TV. I could talk about it for hours!

‘Our Blue Peter audience is simply the best, we were their eyes and ears, taking them with us all over the world. I have the fondest memories of month long adventures in incredible countries from Bolivia to Japan and beyond! I’ll never forget the support I would get from our viewers especially with challenges such as when I ran the London Marathon, or my skydive, I loved all the challenges from the sporty, from barefoot skiing to wingwalking, to the thespian, performing at the Royal Variety to our own drama Totally Blue Peter, whatever the challenge I was up for it and it was all an amazing experience.

(Pictured: John Leslie, Yvette Fielding and Diane-Louise Jordan, UK in 1990)

Diane-Louise Jordan, John Leslie and Anthea Turner all with Bonnie the dog on Blue Peter in 1992

The BBC’s decision to move Blue Peter online follows months of speculation. The show, which first aired on October 16, 1958, has been a staple of British children’s television (Pictured Abby Cook (right), with Mwaka Mudenda (left) and Joel Mawhinney (center)

‘Blue Peter is a special club and family, I still get such lovely people coming up to me and telling me how much Blue Peter meant to them. I used to love spending my lunch break in the studio writing back to letters from our audience. 

‘When I went into the Blue Peter office I loved to go to the Correspondence Team and get my folder of mail to go through, I felt so connected to the viewers. 

‘I even kept quite a few letters and things the audience made for me, that’s how much it meant to me, it really was that feeling of having a mᴀssive family, I would get letters from boys and girls, parents and grandparents, it was a real family affair – I always felt the love and support. 

‘I recall a fellow presenter saying we’re not saving lives, it’s just telly… but then one of the editorial team said that’s where you’re wrong – you mean so much more to the audience than you’ll ever know. 

‘As a Blue Peter presenter I always felt the honour of that responsibility – we were there as friends to our audience, to help them to learn and for them to experience new things. 

‘For those who didn’t have a garden, we had the Blue Peter garden, for those who loved animals but didn’t have a pet, we had the Blue Peter pets, for those who couldn’t travel, we took them on our voyages of discovery and let them see what we saw.

‘Blue Peter is a show for the whole family and I think it always will be regardless of its new online platform – the essence, ethos and spirit of Blue Peter will live on forever – just ask anyone lucky enough to have their Blue Peter badge – one of the most sought after wonders of the world! The Blue Peter badge is iconic.

In October 2023, insiders had warned that the show was struggling, with some describing it as ‘an unhappy sinking ship’ after three presenters left. However, at the time, the BBC dismissed concerns about its future (Pictured Simon Thomas, Konnie Huq, Liz Barker and Matt Baker)

Blue Peter first launched in 1958 and is the world’s longest-running children’s TV series. In its heyday the show had eight million viewers per episode but now just 37,700 people tuned in (pictured Simon Groom, Sarah Greene and Peter Duncan in 1981)

‘As a mummy I am so excited that I will be able to introduce Fitz to Blue Peter. I still remember many of the live makes and bakes I did on the show, Fitz enjoys cooking and painting so he will love to try all the makes & bakes – and maybe he can try to get his very own Blue Peter Badge one day. 

‘Everything I learnt on Blue Peter I’ll be able to pᴀss on to Fitz, and I feel very proud about that. Blue Peter not only equipped me for live tv and a career in presenting, but for motherhood too, the two best jobs in the world.’

The BBC’s decision to move Blue Peter online follows months of speculation. The show, which first aired on October 16, 1958, has been a staple of British children’s television. It currently airs live at 5pm every Friday on CBBC, with a repeat on BBC Two on Saturday mornings.

In October 2023, insiders had warned that the show was struggling, with some describing it as ‘an unhappy sinking ship’ after three presenters left.

However, at the time, the BBC dismissed concerns about its future.