Perdita
20-02-2009, 12:26
TOP Gear stars Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have been lined up to revamp fading favourite Blue Peter.
Beeb bosses reckon the gutsy style of the BBC2 motoring show is just what is needed to get the kids’ series off the skids.
They want Blue Peter to feature more “Top Gear-style stunts”.
And they might even persuade Clarkson, 48, Hammond, 39, and May, 46, to put in a personal appearance.
Projects in the pipeline will stop short of “Hamster” Hammond’s ill-fated jet-car record bid, or the famous exploding bus.
But they could include more daredevil feats like a recent scuba diving challenge featuring presenter Joel Defries, 23.
Richard Deverell, controller of BBC children’s programmes, said: “This is the type of big visual stunt Blue Peter needs. We think it needs to generate the same playground buzz as shows like Top Gear.”
Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, 48, laughed: “Jeremy would be very good on Blue Peter.
“He was voted the dad children would most like to have in a poll. They think he’d let them stay up all night and drink, and drive Ferraris! In fact, they’d get a grumpy, middle-aged man.”
I can hear them complain already, if he airs his views on that show the same as he likes to on Top Gear
Beeb bosses reckon the gutsy style of the BBC2 motoring show is just what is needed to get the kids’ series off the skids.
They want Blue Peter to feature more “Top Gear-style stunts”.
And they might even persuade Clarkson, 48, Hammond, 39, and May, 46, to put in a personal appearance.
Projects in the pipeline will stop short of “Hamster” Hammond’s ill-fated jet-car record bid, or the famous exploding bus.
But they could include more daredevil feats like a recent scuba diving challenge featuring presenter Joel Defries, 23.
Richard Deverell, controller of BBC children’s programmes, said: “This is the type of big visual stunt Blue Peter needs. We think it needs to generate the same playground buzz as shows like Top Gear.”
Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, 48, laughed: “Jeremy would be very good on Blue Peter.
“He was voted the dad children would most like to have in a poll. They think he’d let them stay up all night and drink, and drive Ferraris! In fact, they’d get a grumpy, middle-aged man.”
I can hear them complain already, if he airs his views on that show the same as he likes to on Top Gear