Carol Kirkwood, the long-serving BBC weather presenter, said she was "too old" to fulfil a childhood ambition of presenting the BBC children’s programme Blue Peter during an appearance on ITV’s James Martin’s Saturday Morning on Saturday.
Kirkwood, who is Morar-born and widely known for her cheery on-screen manner, revealed the aspiration while being cooked a steak by James Martin. She told the presenter she had once secretly wanted to join Blue Peter and learn how to work with the programme’s characteristic crafts, including what she referred to as sticky black plastic, but felt her age now made that impossible.
Blue Peter, which launched in 1958, became synonymous with hands-on crafts, adventure items and long-running presenters such as John Noakes, Valerie Singleton and Peter Purves. The magazine-style show was overseen for many years by producer Biddy Baxter, who ran the programme from 1963 to 1988 and helped establish its distinctive format.
Kirkwood’s comments came during light-hearted conversation on the ITV weekend show, which included a segment in which Martin prepared a "well done" steak at her request. She has presented weather on national television for many years and is regularly associated with BBC Breakfast and other BBC outlets.
Her disclosure adds a personal note to a public profile built largely on weather broadcasting. Blue Peter has remained a cultural touchstone in British television history, noted for its badges, craft segments and the way it has introduced generations of children to do-it-yourself projects and outdoor pursuits.
Kirkwood’s remarks were made on-air and reported following the broadcast. Beyond the television appearance, there was no indication of any formal approach by Blue Peter producers or BBC executives to alter her schedule or to pursue the idea of her joining the programme.