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Original poster

Do your children watch Blue Peter?

46 replies

NancyDonahue · 04/12/2018 09:09

Mine are a bit too old for it now and take the mickey out of it, but I must admit I still watch . I've been watching pretty much since the late 70s. I can't miss an Advent candle lighting .

I was shocked to read that in its heyday it had 8 million viewers and now it's under 100k. It's hardly changed, but that's probably why not many kids want to watch. It's sad to think it may not last much longer. I think Barney not being replaced pretty much shows that when the current presenters step down it may end for good.

The presenters I remember most fondly are Sarah Green, Simon Groom, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis and John Noakes.

It was such a massive part of my childhood. We had bring and buy sales at school, I made the Christmas cards, I swooned over Sarah Greene's clothes, I wept when Shep died and was outraged when the garden was vandalised

Feel free to jump on my nostalgia train

OP posts:

SaintEyning · 07/12/2018 21:37

DS (8) loves it and is desperate to get a badge. always sticks it on when he gets in from school

wanderings · 07/12/2018 21:43

Didn't someone on MN say it's "aimed at children who ask for chores"?

BigFishy · 07/12/2018 21:49

They have battery operated candles on the advent crown now!

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Armi · 07/12/2018 21:51

My DD (7) loves it.

ManicUnicorn · 07/12/2018 22:35

Do they still have a dog?

Magicpaintbrush · 07/12/2018 22:46

My DD loves Blue Peter! She watches it every week and has five BP badges now, she also loves entering their competitions. Imo it's one of the best kids programmes on the tv at the moment - very aspirational and encouraging, positive, wholesome, interesting, it's great.

Magicpaintbrush · 07/12/2018 22:52

Also have to disagree with the pp who said it's all too safe these days - in the past year or so the prezentees have done some buttock clenchingly scary stuff like climbing the hoover dam, wing walking on planes, learning to pilot hot air balloons, crossing the irish sea in an inflatable zorb ball thing... that's just a few off the top of my head.

Magicpaintbrush · 07/12/2018 22:53

Presenters not prezentees (!!! Invented a new word there, could I get a badge for that?)

noodlenosefraggle · 07/12/2018 22:54

My DS loves it. He has a diamond BP badge that's his most prized possession!

FrederickCreeding · 07/12/2018 22:55

My dc are obsessed! I think it's great too. I really like the presenters - I think they do a brilliant job and show some pretty amazing stuff too.

BigFishy · 07/12/2018 22:56

I don't think they have a dog anymore, ManicUnicorn....Nearly 5 year old only started watching it about 4/5 weeks ago.

ScreamingValenta · 07/12/2018 22:58

Battery operated candles on the advent crown! .

CrazyOldBagLady · 07/12/2018 23:00

I’m amazed it’s still going! I thought it was pretty dreadful as a child and like a previous poster, much preferred the days when Grange Hill or Byker Grove was on.

ScreamingValenta · 07/12/2018 23:03

Yes, we liked Grange Hill. Even my mum would come in to watch Grange Hill in its heyday! She didn't watch Blue Peter, so the ritual instruction to 'make sure your mums, aunties and grans have left the room' when they did mothers' day presents was wasted on us.

Witchend · 07/12/2018 23:41

I loved it, but my dc have only watched it once (when two of them were on a feature bit).They also all have Blue Peter badges.

I have to admit being a bit disappointed when I watched it with them. The presenters seemed a little bit too keen to be giggly and "one of the kids" than I remembered.

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 07/12/2018 23:49

I loved Blue Peter - Valerie Dungeon was a presenter when I started watching it. I remember the delight when my parents agreed I was old enough for a Blue Peter annual.

I loved the collections they used to do for charity - I seem to remember they appalled for old plugs one year. Our whole family would collect and send whatever it was that they were collecting each year.

ScreamingValenta · 07/12/2018 23:52

It was Tina Heath and Simon Groom when I started watching. I saw a photo recently of Simon Groom in the 70s - he was very attractive!

BouleBaker · 08/12/2018 06:02

My kids love it. I think it’s still an amazing show and very inspiring. My eldest has 2 sport badges and the diamond badge and my youngest is desperate to be 6 so that he can earn a badge. It’s great to see a show that encourages outdoor activities and thinking of others.

EdtheBear · 08/12/2018 08:29

I didn't know there was a kids iPlayer, and we're never in at 5.30 on Thursdays however I think i will try pointing it out the DS see what he makes of it. So little of what he watches is real people it's all cartoons / animation.

AnotherPidgey · 08/12/2018 09:25

DS (7) likes it. We aren't able to watch it in its live slot but quite often watch on iPlayer.

There are a lot more alternatives to affect the audience these days, activities, range of TV channels, games, crap on YouTube...

twosoups1972 · 09/12/2018 09:35

My older two who are now 17 and 15 watched it when they were younger. They both got badges. My youngest who's 11 has never been interested.

I also grew up with Sarah Greene, Simon Groom et al. Loved Goldie the dog! And who remembers BP showing you how to put your tortoise away for hibernation each year?

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