Blue Peter phone-in scandal lands BBC hefty fine

The BBC has been punished with a £50,000 fine for faking a winner to a call-in competition on children's programme Blue Peter.

In November last year some 40,000 calls came into the show on its premium-rate phone line, but a technical problem meant a winner could not be chosen.

Instead of calling off the competition, a girl on a visit to the studio was chosen to pose as a caller and give the correct answer on air.

Media watchdog Ofcom said this was a "serious breach" of the broadcasting code, the first ever committed by the BBC.

"These breaches go to the heart of the relationship of trust between the broadcaster and its audience - in this case, an audience primarily made up of children," Ofcom said.

A BBC spokesman apologised again yesterday and said: "We fully accept the seriousness of this case."

Blue Peter presenters Konnie Huq, Andy Akinwolere and Zoe Salmon had previously apologised on air to viewers of the show for the "mistake".

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