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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Blue Peter sorry over fake winner | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The BBC has apologised for faking the results of a competition on children's programme Blue Peter last November. | The BBC has apologised for faking the results of a competition on children's programme Blue Peter last November. |
| A technical problem meant that viewers calling in for a competition were not getting through to the studio. | A technical problem meant that viewers calling in for a competition were not getting through to the studio. |
| A member of staff asked a child who was visiting the show to pose as a caller and answer a question live on air. | A member of staff asked a child who was visiting the show to pose as a caller and answer a question live on air. |
| BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell called the incident a "serious error of judgement". The BBC did not make money from calls to the programme. | BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell called the incident a "serious error of judgement". The BBC did not make money from calls to the programme. |
| Viewers who did ring in were charged 10p per call, with 3.25p going to children's charity Unicef. | Viewers who did ring in were charged 10p per call, with 3.25p going to children's charity Unicef. |
| I would like to apologise unequivocally to viewers BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell | I would like to apologise unequivocally to viewers BBC Children's controller Richard Deverell |
| However, the child who posed as the winning caller took home a prize chosen from a selection of children's toys. | However, the child who posed as the winning caller took home a prize chosen from a selection of children's toys. |
| Premium phoneline regulator Icstis has confirmed it is mounting an investigation into the programme. | Premium phoneline regulator Icstis has confirmed it is mounting an investigation into the programme. |
| Falling short | Falling short |
| The incident was discovered when another visitor to the programme set, Mona Zahoor, wrote to the BBC's Have Your Say messageboard describing the events. | |
| "We were all quite horrified when it happened," she told the BBC News website. | |
| An internal investigation confirmed the error and a separate independent review will be carried out into the circumstances surrounding the competition. | |
| "This edition of the programme fell short of the high standards Blue Peter viewers quite rightly expect," said Blue Peter editor Richard Marson. | "This edition of the programme fell short of the high standards Blue Peter viewers quite rightly expect," said Blue Peter editor Richard Marson. |
| "We are very sorry for the way this competition was conducted." | "We are very sorry for the way this competition was conducted." |
| Blue Peter will celebrate its 50th birthday in October 2008Blue Peter will broadcast an apology to viewers on Wednesday's edition of the show. | Blue Peter will celebrate its 50th birthday in October 2008Blue Peter will broadcast an apology to viewers on Wednesday's edition of the show. |
| The competition will also be re-run, with a winner chosen from the callers who contacted the programme on 27 November, 2006. | The competition will also be re-run, with a winner chosen from the callers who contacted the programme on 27 November, 2006. |
| "I would like to apologise unequivocally to viewers, to all the children who took part in the competition," said Mr Deverell. | "I would like to apologise unequivocally to viewers, to all the children who took part in the competition," said Mr Deverell. |
| "We have already apologised directly to the child involved and her family for this incident." | "We have already apologised directly to the child involved and her family for this incident." |
| Mr Deverell called the faking of the competition an "exceptional incident", and said the person responsible had acted "in a panic". | Mr Deverell called the faking of the competition an "exceptional incident", and said the person responsible had acted "in a panic". |
| But speaking to Radio Five Live he refused to rule out the possibility that staff would be sacked over the incident. | But speaking to Radio Five Live he refused to rule out the possibility that staff would be sacked over the incident. |
| A freephone number - 08000 565 363 - is available for viewers who took part in the competition and would like more information. | A freephone number - 08000 565 363 - is available for viewers who took part in the competition and would like more information. |
| Viewers can also find information on the CBBC website following today's Blue Peter broadcast. | Viewers can also find information on the CBBC website following today's Blue Peter broadcast. |
| But Ms Zahoor, whose information led to the discovery, says she thinks the BBC's reaction is "silly". | |
| "I didn't realise that it would be blown out of all proportion," she said, adding that she had refused to lodge a formal complaint about the show. |