Richard Bacon has spoken about the "deep sense of shame" he experienced after being fired from the children's television program Blue Peter in 1998 due to a cocaine scandal. In a recent interview on the podcast How To Fail with Elizabeth Day, Bacon, now 50, recalled feeling "betrayed" by his best friend, whom he claims sold the story to the press, leading to his dismissal.
Bacon revealed the profound personal impact of the scandal, sharing that his mother later told him it was the only time she had ever heard his father cry. His father, a criminal defense lawyer, reportedly went into the shower to cry to hide his emotion, a trait he inherited from his own father who served in World War II. "Even to this day, she said It's the only time I've ever heard him cry. So when she told me that story, I felt a deep sense of shame," Bacon stated.
The incident made Bacon the first presenter to be dismissed from Blue Peter in its then 40-year history. He confirmed his suspicion that his close friend from his time at Radio Nottingham was the source of the story.
Bacon admitted to using cocaine, explaining that while it was not a regular habit, he had done so before being caught. He recounted his first experience with the drug in a nightclub with the friend in question. "We were best mates and he got a wrap of it and I took the whole wrap at once. I didn't really understand it and I threw up, but I had taken it a handful of times before that," he said, adding he believed his friend may have been jealous.
He described the opportunity to work on Blue Peter at ages 21 and 22 as incredible and that he loved the job and still respects the program. However, his agent informed him of the impending scandal, stating, "It's News Of The World, cocaine and lots of it." Bacon then informed Oliver McFarlane, the then-editor of Blue Peter, about the situation, after which Lorraine Heggessey, the Head of Children's BBC, confirmed he would have to be let go. Handing in his Blue Peter badge, he noted, was akin to leaving the LAPD and meant he could no longer receive free entry to the Motor Museum at Bewley.
Two decades later, Bacon's Blue Peter badge was returned to him at the show's 60th anniversary celebration. Peter Purvis, in front of other presenters, pinned a new badge on him, saying, "all is forgiven," an act met with applause.
Health Ordeal
In July 2018, Bacon experienced a life-threatening mystery lung infection, which led to him being placed in a medically-induced coma. Doctors informed his family that his survival was not expected. Upon arrival at the hospital, a consultant explained the necessity of the coma within 20 minutes due to his dangerously low blood oxygen levels (58%, with below 60% being critical). During his time in the coma, Bacon hallucinated and became convinced nurses were trying to murder him.
He later learned from the consultant that he had been "quite close to death." Bacon also shared his ongoing struggles with alcohol addiction, having attended Alcoholics Anonymous multiple times. He described daydreaming about quitting drinking, acknowledging its difficulty due to his enjoyment of it but recognizing the problems it has caused. Bacon identifies as an addict and noted a potential correlation between ADHD, for which he has been diagnosed, and the use of alcohol or stimulants to compensate for slow blood flow.
Following his career on Blue Peter, Bacon founded the production company Yes Yes Media and has hosted BBC Radio 5 Live and his own podcast. He has been married to Rebecca, a marketing manager, since 2008, and they have two children, Arthur and Ivy.