Read this: Media Masters - Ewan Vinnicombe

Media Masters with Paul Blanchard welcome to media matters series of one-to-one interviews with people at the top of the media game editor of Blue Peter the world's longest running children's TV programme a lifelong fan of the show and a proud recipient of one of its sought-after badges when he was just 6 years old he started working as a runner on spin off show Repeater in 1998 and has recently overseen the programs 60th birthday celebrations and advocate for children's literacy.

He's also judge on the Blue Peter Book Awards and his favourite book is Danny the Champion of the World you weren't thank you for joining me.

Thank you for asking me so let's start with the Blue Peter 60th anniversary in October I mean that must have felt like an incredible moment he was amazing and then I said it's a lot of people that I am I write on the back of envelope.

What I wanted to show to be like in my dream scenario kind of one night emy my kitchen at home and then a couple years later it kind of all her.

Evening it was even better than the envelope and all the plans that you had in the team were just brilliant and it does everything seem to come together in a brilliant way, so we had our past presenters were great films so we had like HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier spell out Blue Peter which was brilliantly are the mod to do that and they agreed to it, and it was it was quite an interesting set of films because the weather was bad so so it could have gone so wrong, but just that that brief moment happened and we got it on film and Lindsay going in the birthday balloon over the Arctic Circle that kid have designed and that was that was pretty one of the most emotional filming that we did because just only things went right so many things went wrong but in the end it went so right when you actually saw it and I saw the pictures and it was amazing to see one of a competition winners designs floating over the Arctic Circle in Finland piloted by a Blue Peter presenter who never knew how to fly a balloon 4 months before that point so that it is one of those going to shows.

We had our diamond badges for children applying for their done badges for special diamond year and that design leaflet little Diamonds which then we put all over the studio and one of my big things is always they've got some really respect kids as if a kid sends in something to Blue Peter I say every time it had to be on the show and say 24000 Diamonds rashleigh Inn on the set of r60 shake.

I thought then if I was to get home watching it and because I was a bad went out and when I was six.

It's just so those details then you can face it every child watching and all the bears like we put every diamond out and then we had like Sophie Ellis-Bextor performances great for Janet Ellis cos she obviously it's her mum and then we had Harvey and Jonas blue perform with the Philharmonic and all those collaborations and in The Vamps did and amazing performance starting from one studio the Philharmonic and then running into the Blue Peter studio, when just so many things Ed Sheeran got a gold badge which so all these plans to source it comes together and then the explosion like that money.

At the Monday and Tuesday night, we're just brilliant because mine is not me at The One Show Matt Baker put into the special with pass presenters and then sunny all night Radio 1 radio to Radio 4 Radio 5 live in the morning on BBC Breakfast Good Morning Britain Lorraine that everything just every local radio station every it was just one of those days where you do have to answer to the team.

These are the days.

This is why working in medias brilliant and easily days.

Just a note mentally note things down because actually these will be your memories for the rest of your night Media Korean it's just yeah.

It's just the day could not have gone better for me and when I woke up on Wednesday morning the day after I was like yeah the team that we've done it.

Well done and Blue Peter is so beloved by so many people as integral part of everyone's childhood in Britain including mind you that I was remember Simon Groom and Janet Ellis and golden all these kind of things is just incredible so he must be quite similar age than that 41 and that was my

Does like Sarah Greene Simon Groom Peter Duncan Janet Ellis Faith my kind of presenters of the I watched everyone after that but that was my first experience of repeating it is just the show it evolves and everyone as I said he might want to have their version of Blue Peter and Tony Walsh the boat from Manchester to the lovely poem about Blue Peter diesel that everyone's got their own version Blue Peter and we'll try and see with a 60th in homage to the past but not to be stuck in the past like bring the show still to its current audience but just have moments of reflection, so if you're watching it and you've not watched it four years you can be like.

Oh yeah, they still got that they still do that badly and it is in a digital world.

It's still relevant of children and things like that as they weren't yeah.

It's one of those jobs.

Where you go when you when I got the job it suddenly dawns on you that you in charge of this amazing amazing show that lasted so long and doing the 6 TV as well.

We would just like it is humbling to think that I am the team are running that sure at the moment.

It is brilliant best job.

I've ever had in telly a did you always want to be added to a Blue Peter cos I know you're up to the show you've got the letters Into the Future Past is credible to it to see them, but you know you've cleared in a lifelong fan of the show is it almost ok? So that's what he said the dream come true to edit the show that you been such a lifelong fan of so I was always a fan of repeated but I do I think the fundamental blue Peter's I love live TV and say Blue Peter in children's is one of the last Night Live TV shows that we've got we've got some lovely Saturday morning stuff as well and Saturday mashup at the moment on CBBC but just that live choreography of bringing.

You've not got a shout the start of the day and then by the end of the day when you go live you've brought contributors and you've got the films ready.

If got children this gdas got the pets.

Got everything together and that choreography is brilliant because then you go at 6 when we finish on a Thursday if I was like yeah brilliant with another shower when it's like the celebration moment as I always loved those and at moments actually.

EON my career I was Sienna Henry Peter which is Behind the Scenes show for XL then I went off and did Saturday mornings and id like live and Kicking and that I was loved live and Kicking shows always of Noel's house party was like anything like so thought that is a thing no house prices on the best shows on TV adverts of anything happening in TVB sitting again a week and it was life moments.

I think should be cherished and then so what's that with the Blue Peter editor job I never thought I'd be the beavers register because I'd like to make a break so books on I've worked on Springwatch website loads of different shows and then in 2007.

I just finished in Springwatch and then the Blue Peter studio producer came up and my boss said or would you consider applying for it and I thought he disc.

The first time I've ever been thinking of doing BP South always live TV course.

I want to do it and so I got that job and I did that for 2 years and it was a brilliant.

I'm quite Tranent a transitional time of the Show because Konnie Huq left after she's like the longest serving presenter so she decided to move on after 10 years, so she done a really good job being about their letters long time today and longest m female presenter the shower and say she left and Gethin and Zoe left until they're actually that time and Helen Skelton who who is Helen Skelton one of them like brilliant Blue Peter presenters that started in doing all those challenges and slide onto the South Pole she's tightrope walk across Battersea Power Station she's done ultra marathons like three mountains in 72 hours like such a brilliant presents as her Andy and Joel that was my second year Blue Peter and then I went off to run them be the head of presentation which is the running their presentations segments are the Byzantine the shows for CBB CBB

And then one day my boss said Theatre blue Peter's got an attachment which is in BBC way can go and try out different other jobs and some of that as he went off to go and do 5 live for could always watching you since he went back to news for 3 months later.

Would you babysitting for three months not out yet? I'll do that and then three months ended six months turned into nine months ending to a year that point I was doing dinner presentation job Camberley Peter all the same time and in two and a half years later after doing those two jobs and looking after loads of live TV cos I see presentation is live with hacker the dog and or and the CBeebies Bedtime Stories things like that and say then I decided to focus on Blue Peter and then recently thought in a couple years.

It's like the 60th birthday well, and then it's only Dawn Tony and then as you're on the birthday day it suddenly dawned on me that I need to set on the 60th birthday, and it said that had a real at the moment when a kid talk to me about something which really just

Black balloon that blew my mind made me get not too emotional but really just met you think wow this job and then the larger happens in Derby was have multiple touch points in a sense out their life because you know you could you could watch as a child and then when you become a parent watch it with your own children him and after 60 years are there are say grandparents is all their grandchildren.

It was lovely about this 60th year so we started a year before the actual birthday.

Cos I wanted to do that every month something big for Blue Peter so it was kind of gave Mary Berry a gold badge in online 13th August in October then again.

We're children need and big bringing by sells and district Levy Peter bit of an eye doing all those individual moments of reminded me Bella past the present the future we suddenly got all this all the letters from grandparents and parents saying can you please tell us that we should we still watch a show when we love her turn the Diner badgers children had to do a memory mission that we got without find out for me about Blue Peter from someone used to watch Blue Peter

How to get loads of stories coming through which is lovely cousin you be like the I cannot remember the Romanian orphans of pee a lot when the team raise money for let prayer and the United all the different bits were coming through and then we even had so I won my Dad's when I was the Liverpool Garden Festival competition 1984 and we had other top runners-up contact us to say their head when they had stents I was like give me the number on iPhone the meant to say I'm I was one of those kids then as well.

So it's just it really did bring everyone together in real people in the studio on the live show with their grandparents all their parents going I'm a badge holder there a bad shoulder and now my grandchild about told her so I think it's just that cross-generational moment which is just lovely because it just brings families together and everyone moving with their Blue Peter I'm actually talking of Blue Peter badges.

I know that cheetahs can buy the money because they mean it's but if I wanted to genuinely earn 1, how would one go about acquiring a Blue Peter badge, so cool.

I'm not coming you.

If you're over 15, then you can't apply for a Blue Peter badge have to be between 6 and 15 to apply for one if you're about that age, then what you can do it if you appear on the show as a contributor or you do something important for Blue Peter I help us out with something then after that.

We are all people badges.

Sophie's memory is on screen key contributors.

They get it when we started filming so lamberti the very prized possessions and the team we check them out me check them back in so we know exactly how many badgers are being awarded to on location shoot syringe Studios and things like that because I was able to check takeaways in the body Blue Peter badges think that is such a core element is probably the biggest selling the Shakers presenters can change and evolve and things like that in the studio can evolve in the films involved actually that bad.

It's the main connector that we've got with our audience and once you're in that and I wish I like to Blue Peter we are the biggest club.

For children in the UK cos we've got at the moment is about there's just under 200000 children.

You've got least one Blue Peter badge between 6 and 15 that has grown from about 40 or 50000 in my x 200000 that is amazing growth and it's just you don't want a child to go your devaluing my badge because actually looks so proud of their badges when you see on social media parents taking photos of school taking photos and getting all you got another two green badges today in Assembly and I've been to assemblies to surprise children toward their badges.

Just in case I get in touch with me.

I'm always loving to meet the audience and you just have those moments where you just get it still that opening them opening the letter every Charlie Wrights just gets a personalized letter from me.

So no two letters the same we stopped all the principles of Billy Baxter and every Barnes and rosemary Girl created back back in the day just because we value that because that's why it's been successful and that's why.

You've got my me to be pizza and everyone wants badges because actually they are that still that prized possession in the care and attention and we've got kids you've got multiple batches now.

I can get a blue or silver a green purple and orange and things like that, but they collect them all and now they tried to get them all we do have a flurry of 15 year olds who were just on the cast trying to get them all before they can't get there are no longer eligible for the Blue Peter I remember growing up to anything very fond of compared to the Blue Peter today, what's what's still the same? What's different? It's the same show just in a different times so for US author my generation.

I was watching pizza.

Maybe pop stars were the biggest celebrity all the biggest poop because you might have into the show we might have Loggers because children today love blogger so we might bring of lager in the world and making me feel and then they they are there a celebrity in that amazing children still love animals.

So it still cover animals.

We still cover making and people think in those.

Femi stories of the girl BB discovered of makes and bakes we haven't got rid of makes and bakes we still make stuff.

We just make things that are more applicable to children nowadays, that is the one toy that they want or whatever the weather.

We just reflecting children's licence they like in our day when it's like Janet and Sarah Greene and Peter Duncan a reflecting our lives at that point so the life in the 80s was reflected in Ice Age 4 just that im reflecting in 2018 what children interested so the core pillars of the show don't really changed so you still do the things that we still do location films it still do big challenges like my present to Lindsey at the moment for children need has just taken part in a swim run where she's had to run over 30 miles and swim over 10 miles an hour.

Do they still doing his amazing big challenges radzi skydive with the RAF falcons which was for me.

I can member as a kid in my town at home like where I grew up seeing the Falcons jumping out of a plane at and RAF

Display and just being that mesmerised by them.

So then when I can get them involved in Blue Peter and get ready to do a bleach challenge that Janet Ellis did and John Noakes tiered and different Bieber did it just like we doing it back to the way the show happens now as you can film in such a different way, so the actual are they like the quality the cameras.

You've got a quality of a camera that is about 2 inches big compared to years ago, but it'll be like a fool on camera person having to be in the plane in jumping out with nice.

It's just different techniques for filming access to children still hand like the letters, so we're still getting handwritten letters into the shower mats increase from in 2011.

I 40008 as we're getting this year so far 118000 netters Wylam to deal with finished their handwritten letters from children.

So kids are still handwriting something sent you some pictures putting a stamp on it and sending it to us.

So you've got all of that going on but now we've got a website and all singing all dancing website which is very popular kids and we like.

Show me the news on TV still like one of the top was still not generally speaking to top website CBBC and we've got a great apps like CBBC buzz app so we can get kids to take photos are loaded into a website into an app Cinemas then we can reflect them within the life say so it so it's almost like technology is helping us to deliver and what up takeaway pizza, but it's still the core elements of childhood because I still think when I read all the kids letters I try Me 2 minutes.

I get select every week and I try to meet them in always talk to the team or answer all the letters the way children talk in the way, what are interested in there still interested in the things that we were interested in it's just a different sometimes a more modern take on things and how's the move to Salford change things I'm in another Blue Peter Garden is a lot bigger now then than that little thing that used to be the back of Television Centre the pictures moves out so we move the statue of pet shop and what's great about garden in Salford is that unlike TV centre and I think.

Cinema TV centres lovely life, I've gone there and see what they done to it.

I think it's brilliant save kind of Oakwood it out and got rid of a lot of like the walls in Salford there's no walls so children and grandparents pay anyone can just walked to our garden is open to the public so that she can get off the train and they're in the BBC I'd never go to the right gate because the time little Gate they can be in the Italian sunken garden.

That was taken piece by Piece from London and repair in Manchester and we've got a new vegetable after we've got a gold badge walk so children and parents you can spot your famous person that has got a gold badge and take a photo by the gold badge half stone and it's just I think it just gives us a new dynamic.

Cos then when we fill me out in the Blue Peter Garden we can have anyone any members of public can just turn up and watch us do a live show and you have kids turning up if it's on holidays me filming and then they were filming some children turn up with their parents at 10 in the morning.

We're not live till.

HA5 just because I want to experience sleepy to see it all in operation and it's just I think it just meant it just means that we got better access and our audience can just be probably be to have they were witches lovely weekend and we grow vegetables and it's just that it is just lovely to see you later in the week.

You're there and myself on the production manager Claudia we often do a bit we doing on the garden if we've got a bit spare time and you might RM fluxion sexiest you feed the fish so it's just people couldn't come up to you again.

Are you working ugly pizza menu? Could you say yeah? What do you like about the show What did and then you're talking to the members of public was what were all there to service like a licence fee payers.

So it's great to be able to just talk to people who look after I constantly got a massive BBC Manchester they did this brilliant B&M Torre is not those beads.

We can you like a treasure hunt almost and we've got a Blue Peter be in the middle of our garden.

That is just and you see kids getting up taking selfies because I see children of taking selfies now and it.

Just you just spot what they're interested in then.

It's a nice bit of audience research as well, and what's the competition for Blue Peter because back in my day used to be either stay in and watch Blue Peter or play out.

Where is now kids these days.

I'm standing on an old person that you have the same anymore things that compete for your attention Netflix YouTube all of these kind of things when Ofcom recently did a study that says kids and more aware of you to the name of the BBC 9 TV brands use a how do you complete then right that challenge so so you with all our competitors yet back in the day always be like BBC Versailles TV or is he said like staying in going out and is about as I say we children our day they've got more ways of watching us so with the iPlayer when we catch up TV and diesel that so often.

They have delayed viewing which is fine, but actually Blue Peter we've increased our live audience by roughly.

Speak about 25% So you got more children watching his life than we did last year which is great.

They're watching us more than I play as well, so that she weaved.

Small children watching Blue Peter overall which is great that she sometimes the audience if and I know this because a lot on a lot of our letters children might say I can watch BBC Live but I watch on a Friday morning with my parents.

I watch it.

We take it for Friday night or we watch on Saturday mornings as lovely as we get all that feedback, so I know where kids what when kids watch it and our competitors would like Netflix or YouTube it's just what we have to do is we've got to that with our competitions.

Are we think I'll competitions are an advert 4BP to see if we do something big with an outside organisation which then gets headlines.

We saying it's children going well.

I could meet Steven Spielberg Irvine to your dream big competition like a design the London 2017 mascot will be seen by millions of people at the sporting events or I would love to go and see the Red Arrows I'm in apply for your red arrow competition if we can do those things where kids then go out and that'll be Peter then the parents the parents.

Obviously recommend me a pizza, but then the kids I want kids.

What to ask for as well so it's the competition is so much competition but we still get through to the we still get through to a good core audience outside, but it is a whole host of things that children if they don't and Wythall IFC investment was the BBC's got for children's programme we working on loads of different ways to then get that audience to go from CBeebies into CBBC and then stay with all the way until 16 and which is very exciting actually because it's our kind of core missions then pass them on turn the lights to bt3 and then bc1 and things like that, so he's the competitions out there, but we'll I was thinking always guitar competition cuz it makes you always really Rachel game and really think differently about things and how do you connect with your audience because they're young kids.

How do you know what's working? What's not in terms of the ingredients of the mix of the programme Mr say so if you get a purple badge the movie review The Show and so they have to answer like 10 questions about Blue Peter and what they'd want in the shower.

The most boring sweetlips often, what was the best thing? What's the they have to review One Show and then they have to go on a website and the car website in and give us feedback so we say what's the most interesting thing you learnt what's the takeout? What's the thing that you would not having the show so if you build up a critical mass of kids at the same that bit boring you cut it yeah and so is lychee like that and then I used to the gut Instinct than myself and it seems I've got obviously been working for BBC children's for 20 years.

You've got a bit of a gut Instinct but then you kind of with our competitions.

I'm always going is it going to be as good as the biggest competition and I just just it just trust it and then when the entries are coming and again was a bit slow today and then you sending out.

Please.

Don't let us down children and then suddenly you get like 10 mailbags.

You like we were right or yes the competitions hit that hit our kids and things and also we've got a lovely single stepping out in BC children's where we get to go and spend time with children in schools, and we just literally market test Ola Ola content, so we will go.

We can't obviously tell them about competition cuz he's chilled on my was apply for it, but we say do you like the BFG or do you like and we are like cheese out things to then go? What do they really like about in sport and then we watch that we played them a film which blew my mind the other day because they wanted more facts in it and is that surely you like the hadron collider so we were going maybe should pay back a few of the facts because to talk to children when they have their tea about dark matter and think of your pussy and particle physics.

She might go I could be a bit too deep for the moment when they're sitting down having their fingers or whatever they are eating and stuff and then when we actually showed it to some Children they were like we want more facts and that blew our minds because we were going ok? So that means that will tweak is the next time you did something big about science or engineering whatever we will maybe do a few more facts because we know that those children wanted them, so what's the typical?

I'm so I'll start on Friday so Let's Pretend she's just happened on Thursday so Friday is our day.

Will we have a team meeting and we were few the show me so what would people highlights lowlights and what we do better EDT like team updates and it's a really good anyway.

I like to think of the theatre live DVD always wanted celebration point at the end of the week and I want Avon to go away for weekend going we did a good job.

Well done team, then.

They could be location filming over the weekend depending on the events and things so the film team.

Just work 7 days a week and make it be anywhere in the presents could be anywhere then on a Monday we do a pitching meeting how big is the team teams have bowel 25 and then increase on the studio.

They could increase light 4050 depending on the size of studio what we want to do with it.

There's a Courteeners like 25 back to Monday signs of low zinc and said he then any member of those any member of the team can come and pick to her idea so Monday afternoon.

We have the pleasure of just sitting in a room and diff.

Men's 18 coming and go right we're thinking of doing this idea.

Are you interested and then they might some ideas might be really in detail some might just be top lines where they just go.

Do you want to do say about this building or they disgraced you internet and then we then decide in the Producers kind of are we going to do it and then the team get feedback and then the rest the week is Tuesday subscriptions A4 look for the studio team Wednesday is a change their debt.

Where all the films the film producer Andy he spent time crafting the fine cuts of Auto V teeth and then Thursday morning is the voice-over session sweetie.

Irie three-day date in a minute.

She turned alive say and then we go back to Friday and it and it happens like that and then myself on this issue.

So that we spent time across a week.

I could be meeting contributors meeting organisations thinking of the I try and plan the show I would think I'm in charge of 12 to 24 months ahead because big things only happen on Blue Peter because we plan so far.

The mysterious she still looks after from black 12 to 6 months away and then produces at least three months away.

They get the content and then turn around and that's kind of how the cycle happened.

So any on guys like Spinning Plates you always have to think ahead so even on the 60th birthday dear.

I was still thinking right.

We've got shouldn't even got Christmas Ocado that was still got her think of things for 2019 with Sky prevent as he kind of a really thinking ahead and he's only come back to reality and then you doing the day show and then on a Thursday we do so the CEO days is really cool because I am a live TV producer at heart so I did that job so I love it.

So he did read through them then to the right then you rehearse things might go right think when I go wrong new things might come out we go we don't know about that.

Let's let's lifx on that cos actually that's really more interesting than what we thought might be interesting to always rehearsals and then at 4, they do a dress on at the show and we still do.

The thing where I watch the show with Sue Caesar film she served as manager and then we all comments and the distributor will comment on how it's looking and then the student visa runs in with a team with them give them all the feedback and then they've got about normally 15 to 20 minutes to turn around all my changes and then the show goes live and then I just I stand in the gallery cuz I never like to sit in the gallery always send the gallery walking about and just pissing around is it exhilarating to be on there? Or is it actually quite stressful? Can you because at that point you can never can't do it if it's like I just love it.

I've had 20 years of doing live TV on and off and I'm the, I said there was one show recently that I said that that was me my most nervous moment and that was all made in the world record shaver some reason.

I just thought because all know about you, cos I was think I've got to be like a swan.

You've got to be like really calm cause if you stop panicking the two that shows the team your nerves of your worried about something and when we doing a lively.

Live 3 World Records trying to write them in overseas, as well records you always want to break him like that you want a bacon live and you want that he's going off for some reason.

I just does maybe the night Ben after their like how is brilliant bullying bullying and then I just went as I've never had he had a really nervous.

Yeah, I like that for years 60th birthday.

I was not nervous because I trust my team so much that I just know that every member of the team so on that day bed as such a big team because of the was like to Studios with so many presents the minute and I just hate everyone if everything every member of the team does their job really well on that day and just focus on your job as a group will achieve this so don't just focus on what you're doing.

Don't worry about anything else to focus on what your doing and we will make it happen and so at that point I was at the gallery and I just like brilliant pretty night in my head.

I just getting yep, that's exactly what I wanted that is that what I wanted and would like TVs that goes wrong.

That's the beauty of.

ITV did Billy Baxter come in for the 60th? Yes, we had always had quite a few past census we have most of the parcel Centre to be had the first ever presenter of first ever sensibly Peter Healy Williams see my daughter and she was there on the first ever show had a remember her so we had heard of before Marazion she was before your born CDA oven you could make it and they and such an eclectic mix of the pictures that were released its incredible so light Lynn geomancy I can't presenters had all those eyes looking at them, but what's lovely about boobie incidences because they've all done it and being there.

They're very supportive of the current lot because they know how they're probably genuine and they're only 2% of any Pokémon in a room.

They took away and again.

I see do the Falcons and what you did to skydiving I did that story.

Did it just lovely cuz they've all got some common ground talk about and then we had a busy Edward Barnes came out.

We had every editor.

Beefeater in the room as well, so I have that pressure of going we've got every practical person is over and edited the show yet every editor and some kittens never that week.

Not not the not the record-breaking we don't actually happens now.

It's happening.

We have got loads of people are on the 1:00 news.

This is Got News Nottingham on this is gone you straight after sex if you've got a bit of a bad joke that somebody that actually was just like the director general there are always people in the room watching the film Onegin adjust but I sense of calm after awhile.

I hadn't had a moment when I had two kids made me just really think about my job that day and then I was fine because one just showed me all the stuff that he so keen to show me about trying to get a Blue Peter badge and is about and I just was like this is amazing this kid.

I gave you some feedback years ago about or maybe she could think of this you could think of it's me just did everything.

Badass was like why you definitely had a bad for that and then another child in the audience award in studio, just before life and I was going on the mic.

Thanks so much for coming and it's brilliant the or in the studio excited to be the best forever and he's letting this one kid came up and he's like from an inner City school in Manchester and just came up when it sees me so and I was like in the bath now, then I am I look after me because I'm not it's on the bottom and it's not very BBC think I was going to look after me.

Thank you so much for the invite to come.

I really appreciate it and you do such a great job and just keep doing Blue Peter and that follows that right and then my researcher Jack with the micro subsequently given the mic.

So just like I don't want to and I did just was retouching.

Are you going to take the next few years? I think Connor 1920s we did the 60th and I think with all the new investment comments children's you got some really exciting like digit.

Olicity like tech can really help with repeating we can do like amazing things and so I think with all the Talents inter cards, so that's going to be the exciting part where we can bring in new ways of communicating our audience someone that focus on digital definitely and also I think it'll probably time to bring in it could be bringing a new pets into the show me I think children.

We've had a girl guide dog and it is now with the guy that is now gone to uni because of our guide dog which is brilliant and we've got to talk school Charlie but I do think I'm missing like pitter-patter of maybe pets so I think maybe with might bring that back in and then presenters I can only in the office when you're off air, how does it work look for them in a cage? Do you know you said put people look after their it's the presenter Helen Skelton she had by The Dog and it was her dog was like that.

We can get through security which is great and so I think I know that area I think challenges with only changes.

I might think is how we can supervisor plzen Live support children need and sport relief and Comic Relief but didn't get a different ways to do if I said to the team.

I'm doing currently planning 1920s out.

I've got a big list of things that I want to go to shake up and go ok, what else can we do with this because I was a two teams every likes my pizza.

We've gotta have a go have a laugh because actually if you don't laugh out stuff, then it's going to tell you it's not gonna watch it or you don't even work on it and then think big and so that's how things are we going to do that would like the Book Awards did everything just think ok with now.

It's gone past 64 else can we do because I think actually this is the exciting time cos we've kind of Reach that milestone now that the show can go on and on on them.

We've got up.

We've got an audience that is increasing and we've got more kids wanting their badges and starts.

It's like trying to think of the next big thing and we've got I have had some really good meeting recently that I can't.

I can't share with you, but those will take the show insert yet like the next level again and what are the trends in terms of how kids access the program? Could you mention their the growth of catch up on iPlayer you mention the you know your day better best performing website after Newsround will come a time when that there won't be a live show save 10-20 years from now and then people will watch it online and it'll be recorded.

I am in.

What way do you think it will be a 20 years now and interesting point because years ago.

I loved her tonight TV and in my head was like that was a big night and you always wanted live TV and it went to the Sonya.

Where it was all pubic ordered shows and there wasn't that live element and then suddenly Streetly comes back and boom it strictly X Factor that it's only like TVs panting there has to be like it's those kind of moments and so I think there is a certain energy from a show when you do it live and I think I will order it was lovely as you can go this is live right now and then we.

Letters by Tuesday talking about the live shows that we had on Thursday did we say we need lots of people to send it in a picture of Shelly are tortoise by Tuesday because we needed any other we will get it by Tuesday and I think that live moment would be a lot to Beefeater I would say but there's other ways of doing it so could be like a do you like live Radio podcast things like that.

I could be different ways of accessing a making that live feeling but I think I do my 10.

Yeah, I'd like to try and keep the live as much as possible just because I think that audience interaction it just makes it that bit more special compared to the sea like compared with Ca content they can access if Sunday we go this is live and you can get in touch with now that makes this set apart from our competition is like a USP in marketing way to the zoo and is there a strong educational element to the show me the kids these days still want to have to make things deal sticky back plastic type thing off it is it?

Smart as you said flogger oriented celebrities you know Pop Culture that kind of thing or is it is it the can a mix that I would rip recognise for my own childhood days till the mixing your own childhood and what's great is that yes, we might of lager in doing a makeup Chloe had am Maria pop star coming into your Christmas cards and she made a Christmas card to Jesus loved doing that little she is very old.

I am only and so it's that kind of thing if they still access the content in a way and they still want to know how to like the Christmas card is still an iconic bit of blue Peter's year that children are waiting to give their teachers Christmas cards.

Billy want you to be Peter one and so it's just those those moment still have nothing.

It's just it shouldn't still as I said before like John still children and I still love to make bake United for children easy don't say night party cakes and kids are loving that because he's seen it the interaction of their writing Mattison taking photos and things like that.

I think it is yeah.

It's a good.

It is just a bit that's a bit about Billy Bass always has to me a magazine show can cover anything so we can do educational content so with certain as I said with the hadron collider is like that scientists.

That's a very heavy scientific film and when we said it's children.

They wanted even more facts and we've done and we've done a recent competition called lights camera action where a child lotto winner is going to engineer a pop music video so that is showing engineering skills like sound engineers lighting engineers camera engineers, so we're not saying this is engineering film, but we actually showing it in it in a way that it's almost like you're learning just by being entertained and that's the best way.

I think children learn because then ago did you see that that job I, want that job in the future or not are dragon a designer dragon competition that was taking a building they start building.

Where is child then design a gargoyle dragon to be put on Play

First time is strikingly never allowed it to go on like the great Pagoda at Kew Gardens and start teaching kids about history architecture in if you want to be a new architect and it and the actual chief architect of royal palaces was a Blue Peter viewer who loved York Minster boss competition many years ago when I met him even that inspired him to go and do his career.

So it's it's almost like education but without realising it and you're a well-known advocate for children's literacy mean.

You've been a judge on the Blue Peter Book Awards at utils about that and the records are highlights of a year although it's the most intensive Townsend actually.

268, so if you think it's October time, I got 20 books.

I think it I think they're 20% to me to read from the end of August all the way through September then judge the physical table just before 60th day as well as putting on the program and then again you're all that I have read all the books because then I feel like a lot of coffee was drunk during that period how much are normally why do poison we get.

Very early in the morning and then have like a coffee or tea, and then just try and read a children's book before I go to work and that's how I do it now and I think speak what you read it, then.

I am over after I've got I've got the after fast reading density and then I do think that children are Book Awards are so important to children and parents because it is that Stanford approval of like this is a good book and our judges this year the brilliant and we actually bought in a Blog like Louise pen and he's a big is a big vulgar.

Kind of rid of massive audience on YouTube and social media and is like that and it was brilliant because she's a Mum and say she's reading a friend that bective we had Alex t Smith who was an officer who was trying have like somebody's kind of a parent somebody's and offer some of the industry's adjust their works and judging panel, and it is a really getting me with booktrust on it so there an independent charity that helps manage the books records and just then when we announce the winners on World Book Day it's just really exciting and the best thing I think about the Book Awards is we've got two.

Schools that then we give the woman to the shortlist of our top 3 in each category for best book of facts and best story we don't give it to children to decide the winners and so children who were from a wide-ranging schools.co.uk they will apply for in this year.

We had because over 600 schools apply in NE12 actually get the get the gig and then they all the children get books forget to take a moment to read them to get to keep them and then they gets judge of my phone that and I get a Blue Peter badge for doing it as well, and I think that two children.

They may not have that chance in life to do it that gives them real ownership and pride in what they've done and their judging our Book Awards and then they will get to vote and then I don't know who wins until like February time and then we now as on World Book Day which is also the most Saturday's are books because every child loves World Book Day and so it's just it is another part of Lupita way.

Just think this is this is great need when I go into a bookshop.

I do love seeing the little sticker of likely be.

The book was your message then that's great.

It's good advertising as well for the show absolutely and great for the book as well.

Thank you to have that sticker on it.

Yeah, I think I think publishers are quite happy when they kids vote for them to actually then it gives them a real sense of achievement anything this is like to buy the audience which is brilliant.

How do you find the presenters? How many family to be the next presenter of Blue Peter give you the biggest in a sense of quite a special Talent to be able to present Blue Peter is much different from merely as a presenting two adults you have lots of your character to present on Blue Peter because you've got to be really up for a challenge and being generally interested in everything you've gotta say ok, so I might be jumping off jumping out of a plane one day the next day.

I might be judging the Book Awards reading books then.

I might be going to CERN and talking particle physics or then I might be doing this so you'll have to have an interest a genuine interest in everything and I'll stay sounds like the best job in the world so far which is brilliant.

Then you have to be good at live TV which is an art because actually live broadcasting.

We don't have also keys.

So they don't have so the Script is written.

They were they read it they kind of memorize it but then obviously livetv.sc face with it.

So they never Baltic you which I think is brilliant because it means a talking in the Rain authentic voice and then you also have to be like again then the film content you just have to then be physically strong enough to do the challenges because any more stamina needed, so when Man City did the jumping out the plane with RAF falcons.

He had to be physically strong enough and have the memory I think older many muscles are like that way like how to jump out the plane has a really memorising so you just had to have that strength and that portability and then he did like gymnastic challenge.

He was actually training with people who train olympic athletes to do this training and he had to re trainers body in different ways to make that happen and that was 4 months work and that's some a lot of is not filmed so

He's just going to a place to learn that Lindsey Dunn swim Run challenge she's been swimming from literally months and months and months and that's what you don't see but you still have to do it as you've got that you have that will commitment and then also whenever you're anywhere in the country does that always think you're representing Blue Peter and you have kids coming up and what love is when you are with a Blue Peter presenter.

I'll put it in your wee spot like children.

See your that's Lindsay and then you have to be that night person to go.

I think there's someone is there the wants your autograph all want to talk to you about it and so we always engage their audience for every hour and that's and they're free ambassad, London Giamatti just amazing cos I just genuinely love kids a Lindsay got her job and entering a competition where we did a search for Blue Peter presenter.

Call you decide and Kids voting there then 2002 Lindsay to get a job out of 3 top 5 lists need to add that boost.

I'd say that I said to her that you've been paid by children.

So that's brilliant and has he got his job because I got a showreel many many years ago when I was on in working his head presentation so you I tell me loads of show was then that thing about him that I just and it is just that and then there's like something out that X Factor there's just something when you watch something you just go do it that person's is a spark and it just makes you sit forward and go or what is it about him that im interested in then? I look after and B Edinburgh International TV festival.

I think of your network which is as talent scheme for people want to break into the industry, so I look after the live TV side of that and he was actually one of the delegates so I can you show me all then a couple months later.

Tell him anymore going to pass on to be pizza editor at the time and then I met him in a zebra again.

Thought there's just something because I talked with so many presents in my life.

He said he's interesting and then through the network you get steel work placement and out of all the towns of people that apply for it.

He got it.

I wasn't on the judging panel that point so he.

Send join my team presentation and then from that you got and then actually seeing it.

Did a show called wild and they asked me to recommend anyone they thought they having trouble finding third person and they describe this person.

I've got someone for you.

So I took him.

I took them to me mate and I'll birthday card rooms at CBeebies of laser birthday card seems sort out Birthday to these producers in said DiMaggio I've got some people I want to eat Chichi to any when you want tea coffee.

Do you want to see just thought I was interesting to do the van at the time that a given tea and coffee as I know they want to meet you then they were so impressive in they gave me Jordan wild and then he did that for summer then Helen Skelton left Beefeater so I was waiting for Helen Skelton left and Lindsay joined size waiting to find out from the competition was in a be a guy or a girl that got that job and Linda got the job and said then.

I just send this one, hitlist.

I want to join and so then one Monday afternoon.

I buy tea ready in just Annie thought you just for a casual chat talking about general life and things of that and I just said to him with a k.

Solar charity that we wanted to be the 37th Blue Peter presenter and his face just look she just went my dropped and he was like that Rio and I went yeah.

He has I just can't I can't I need to be so it is always want to do it and I knew that you'd be good at it and he's proved me right because he's at he's been right answer because actually Lindsay imagine they just amazing and they are kind of that Every Generation I just think they'll be some children in 20 years time before he got my job or like the next editor who's out there somewhere will be like I'm embolism Auntie and things like that and says it's great.

It's a very good.

I feel like it's a brilliant job to pay teeth and when all the past was dentist they've all said it was their best job ought and I know they're Dorothy flatter me in that way, but genuinely they just went the life experience Helens girls always goes it's almost like you've had your life x 5 in the short period of time you have just because you are doing all these amazing things you mentioned that before every beat.

You had a presentation to BBC children's job involve involve after the channel.

So basically any gap between the shades it's filled with trials CBBC and the leading CBeebies and then all the red button content sales incharge like bedtime stories and for CBeebies CBeebies house where they do make sand of link between the shows and they are The Faces of the channel and then then we CBBC it was looking after hack the Dog Inn in sterling is now love Island and bringing new presenters in and just basically making sure the channels always TX2 or transmitted and then look after a button content and black it was a brilliant it really cut my teeth on being is a fasting effective use of control I got senior managers and it really did, teeth as I was actually in charge of the movie presentation from London to Manchester so it took me a lot about how to run a team and what to do and what not to do so you learn a lot and then also how what makes people tick because that makes the Manchester was like literally turn the lights out on a

My day turn the lights on on the Monday in a new studio all of us away from the transition all of us of either move houses, so you didn't didn't all the personal stuff together with your team's personal stuff together with actually on screen getting there getting things happening and it was it like a really interesting time and I'll take that you just learnt so much that she thought he had quite resilient.

Did you always want to work in telly? Yeah, I can tell you that because my grandma always said that all grandchildren played with Lego in different ways and cuz I'm talking about cost ever mention brands which is lovely cos BBC never going to mention branch and then I stabil TV studios and dualiner TV shows ATP Centrica and it is just and they just always as a young kid.

I just was obsessed with tele can I stay in that that coloured box in the corner of the room was my kinders well, there's a whole world out there and isn't exciting and then I saw this recently to it when I was giving it.

What is mm students at BBC about time? You can only work is beans on your 16 and so I'd find out more my dad found out that none of my family and TV so we're completely no one in my school and is anyone of the person when is Stevie in my school so we are all from completing backgrounds and it's all my 16th birthday.

I spent an afternoon as soon as I've got in from school friend the beauty switchboard working my way round if I'm going now.

I am going to work is being someone works in it and I got to be to one person called film address, so I don't if she's out there's an even if she listens to This podcast but she gave me work is being some BBC News Channel summer just pulled out your work is being sexy.

Can I meant yes? I take it and just said that is a 16-year-old went to school that is there meant to my form tutor.

I've got work is busy BBC next week in London can I go and see blessy was very supportive.

It's a diesel instrument right.

I've got get a teacher to teacher.

They could they signed it off and then as a 16-year-old I just was going to Central London in Stevie Centre

Then at the end of that week.

I remember walking out and going I'm coming back to this place to Tim hague's.

It's just such a magical ITV centres a magical builder dancing on Saturday mornings and all all about play pizza Ronaldo now and then I went to uni and then she knew TV was for you at that point yet and just I just loved it and just the thought of working on it is water TV series that while look at this.

This is just felt natural and then went to uni did it for media studies course and then Inbetweeners some holiday to the place in a BT children's that I got off the writing a letter and the rest then I left uni early because I was offered a job as a run out on ChuckleVision and I just saw them well to tell my university lecturer.

I'm going to go my Kentucky visions of tea boys that are right now like I said I still do my phone as I still do my project I just need to this is my break and then that that is why I started was it was chilled.

Is the weather but even then at that point yeah? You've done it for 20 odd years because I think so, what is a virgin entertainment development.

I've worked in different have worked in marketing is about but I still I do you think that I don't have much to say about my brain.

I still think like a child and most people do on the TV still got that all about the world where you ask.

I just asking me questions all the time because I just want to find out.

How does that work on Saturday or and I think it's just and the Magic of children is that when you say to them is this any good and they gave no light all my god children and my niece and nephew you just say when they used to watch repeat of the obra dinn like that, but we like that and I'll be like why and then you just in interrogating it.

You'll just have to work harder because you're not the audience and that's that's what's great because otherwise you could be if you're working for the things you could see Bangor yeah.

I know what it's like that as you watch this show was actually we have to work that bit harder.

So you just keeps your brain ticking over and is just when you've got children the audience coming in are you reading?

Sorry, we see a bit of feedback from a charge.

You just think that's that's what we do our job and if it's not a personal question what what would you do next cos you've been in children's telly for 20 years been the editor of Blue Peter is presumably the best job.

There is in children's telly and if I were you.

I would you know fight off any on come as little surprise you out of the editor yet, but you don't do you have any designs on what might be nice? What does it? What does the editor of Blue Peter do next or funny exhaust because all the past editors and what they do and so like the previous one to me.

He went again worker 5ly to go back to you like genest it Roots another one setup company's other ones were under consultant two different people do in my job the moment.

I I meet such an eclectic mix of different people from different organisations different backgrounds and everything and so in a way.

It's like the chocolate box of that's your might be quite interesting that might be that might be like who knows where I might end up and currently.

I don't want to do I don't leave my job and Avon thought 60th birthday.

I've literally they the next step.

But I want to stay there because it's straight away.

There's some other projects which offer 2019 end of 2019 that too exciting unite sunny mijangos there again where I'm going ok? They just that little bit but I do know that I've got to leave at some point so I can hand over to someone else to give this.

Love your job, so I think really did a great job.

I don't think I can do this job for 26 years that she did she did it for 26 years.

No wonder her name so recognisable in iconic.

The most edited do about five five years 4 years.

I've done over the Wii my six games Lightyear in January so I think he's that kind of thing that but I just fundamental love it and it is another opportunity where I go on never giving away.

I think myself right after I've reached its peak in children's broadcasting maybe I should just start the bottom again and work in a complete of a clear and work my way up again.

Just for something to see interesting that we use my skills from this job but in it.

Three different ways to consult with Billy Baxter I don't know why but I get imagery was conjured up there never like the Godfather Marlon Brando would would show you know of Al Pacino Don Collier wood choice on how to run the mafia Empire as the Elder statesman, as it would you go to be the and say you know I've done 26 years is a long time lot of experience though.

The process is like I was better than kind of pics on because actually until you've done the job the people there or will they do this way they do this week, but they weren't they haven't done it as in for the Editors have done it and they've been in my position and was interested in you told all of them is all of them have experienced the same thing that I experienced today that happened to Biggie that happened to all of them of violent happened to Louis France happened to the Viking always smells in their everyone has experienced the same thing that I've experienced so it's quite good and Away can you think it's not just me when you're really pushing for something in a door might be just shutting just have to wait with a hard-on peep.

To get to read other things because people always go we just phone them up and you're in you find them up and they'll listen to you, but you're not in.

You've got a load it work to get into that when I got the first ever TV cameras into MI5 unite that took a lot of effort and a lot of planning and a lot of and checking in with them for them to give us a mission and so it's you like some of the work hard and is well and whenever CBD and Edward Bond what's lovely is there never tell me what to do because they get your in charge of the show everyone is always said you're in charge of so we're not going to but you can just hear their stories and get hard.

That's how they dealt with that type of thing and then you go all that could be useful and so it's just those it's like there's nuggets of information that you just can go I ever I'll take that just because that's a good way of managing that scenario but and what's great Sunday watch a show and their feedback at the 60th.

It was lovely just sitting next to busy kind of later on that evening and they were just talking to me and you just have a slight brilliant.

It's just

We're good family and was wondering the Blue Peter Family you might have you a disagreement she might have moments but deep down you still there is still the family that sticks together which is lovely.

Do you fancy going airside as it were me you'd make a great present.

I think I've got the most boring voice in in the world and I said this to come on and this weekend as that on Danish podcast on them Tuesday I got such a boring 40.

/ am I going to do when I used to go on to talk shows the when I used to go back to the percentage over time even if nuclear war broke out would love you to tell us.

Just got that thing that, but I've never ever thought about being a presenter that when your when your junior you do after standing for guests and Lysander forget and shout and all that kind of thing but I just think I'm just not that.

I just don't like presenting.

I don't I don't mind talking about passionate soap opera topic.

Sunday my talking to a crowd and things that that's all fine.

I don't know if I could ever deal with the looking at a Cameron going as a bit with club.

Just talking to you now.

It's like I'm talking to a person person.

I tell all my feelings is easy.

Just talk like it's a person if there's already Matalan's but it is just that cold.

Cold lens, but who knows I might need to follow my neighbour complaint durable podcast.

Thank you ever so much free time like it's been a pleasure podcast in association with big things Media