Joel Mawhinney, a former presenter for the long-running BBC children's show "Blue Peter," has shared details about his relationship with co-star Shini Muthukrishnan, their initial decision to keep their romance hidden from BBC bosses, and their future marriage plans. Mawhinney, 28, recently departed the show to pursue his passion for magic, making an appearance on "America's Got Talent."
Mawhinney and Muthukrishnan, 24, managed to keep their relationship private for a year while working together. Their romance became public last spring after they were photographed holding hands at a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
Mawhinney explained that the decision to keep their relationship quiet stemmed from a desire to see how it would develop privately, and to avoid perceptions of a superficial showmance or concerns from the production team about a potential breakup affecting their work. "It wasn’t from a place of 'Oh nobody must know' it was more we know what people might think, 'are they just dating because it’s like a showbiz thing' or the fear from the team 'what if they get together and then break up?' which is a whole other dilemma so we decided to keep it quiet," Mawhinney stated.
He added that by the time their relationship was revealed, they had already been together for a year, allowing them to demonstrate that it would not impact their professional conduct. "It meant that by the time everyone found out we had a year together under our belts. It meant we could say 'hey look, it’s not going to affect our work because we’ve been seeing each other for this long and it works' and steady strong it’s been good ever since," he said.
The couple, who have been together for approximately two years, are now planning their wedding. Mawhinney expressed his desire for a large Indian wedding, noting that he needs to save for it. He also mentioned the perk of dating Muthukrishnan is her mother's exceptional cooking. He also expressed interest in visiting Malaysia, where Muthukrishnan was born. Mawhinney described their relationship as a "slow burn," developing from a close friendship formed during extensive travel and car journeys for the show. "From Friends to lovers! She came on the show and we were genuinely just good friends off the bat, and we were good friends for months and months. We became very close," he recalled.
Mawhinney, who has a significant following on TikTok, decided to leave "Blue Peter" to focus on magic, a passion he felt he could no longer balance with his presenting duties. "It wasn't from a place of really wanting to leave but more because I love this other thing so much, which is the magic," he said.
Following his departure from the BBC show, Mawhinney traveled to Los Angeles to compete on "America's Got Talent." His audition involved a risky magic trick where he took items from judges Mel B, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel's dressing rooms, smashed them with a hammer, and then made them reappear. The performance led to him advancing in the competition. Muthukrishnan accompanied him to the taping, and he described her as being even more stressed than he was during the performance.
Mawhinney's final "Blue Peter" episode aired a few weeks prior to this interview, while Muthukrishnan continues to present on the show. He acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a relationship while working in the entertainment industry due to demanding and often separate schedules, but noted that Muthukrishnan's understanding has been invaluable. "She’s just so sweet and beautiful and we have fun. It’s nice because we're in the same industry and it's always been a little bit tricky dating because you’re away so much or you’re working unusual hours, she really gets it because she’s in it," he said.
Viewers in the UK and Ireland can watch "America's Got Talent" on Samsung TV Plus.