BBC1 drop Blue Peter to CBBC after 53 years

BBC1 drop Blue Peter to CBBC after 53 years

For the first time in 60 years there will be no children’s programmes on BBC1 or BBC2.

Blue Peter, which began more than 53 years ago, and Newsround â€" launched by John Craven in 1972 â€" will be relegated to digital off-shoots CBBC and CBeebies.

The BBC said it would save cash â€" and allow airtime for other shows. But Labour culture spokesman Helen Goodman said: “This is a real downgrading of children’s viewing.”

Greg Childs, of campaign group the Children’s Media Foundation, said it risked sidelining youngsters. He said: “It’s not a great step to remove children from the main family channel.”

The move will be made when all homes have been switched to digital later this year.

Regulatory body the BBC Trust admitted it would cause “short-term confusion” but said children’s programmes are “absolutely fundamental” to the Corporation.

The BBC began broadcasting kids’ shows before World War II.

Blue Peter, whose iconic hosts include John Noakes, Peter Purves and Valerie Singleton, once had more than a million viewers but ratings hit a record low of 100,000 last year.

l.holmwood@the-sun.co.uk

By LEIGH HOLMWOOD

THE move was inevitable once the whole country went digital.

Tech-savvy children have been among the first to latch on to the world of multi-channel.

But it’s a shame BBC1 will have nothing left for them. The nation’s biggest mainstream channel should cater for everyone.