Restored Blue Peter mural to form part of park entrance to Television Centre
Jon Jacob
Editor, About the BBC Blog
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Emma Bayes pictured in front of the mural she designed as a 9 year old with former Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon
The site of a Blue Peter competition winner’s outdoor mural is to become the entry point for members of the public visiting the Television Centre site. The mural, designed by viewer Emma Bayes in 2005, was painted onto a wall outside the Blue Peter Garden. Recently it was announced by site developers Stanhope that the mural would be restored and the former Blue Peter Garden made the public Hammersmith Park entrance to the redeveloped Television Centre site.
The 2005 mural design depicted thirty-one of the programmes Blue Peter presenters past and present, including former presenter Zoe Salmon who last Thursday presented the now 19 year old Emma with the plaque originally positioned on the wall next to the design. Emma is now studying fine art and art history at Plymouth University.
Emma (centre) pictured in 2005 with other prizewinners and presenters Gethin Thomas, Matt Baker, Konnie Huq and Liz Barker.
The mural is tangible evidence of the participatory spirit the Blue Peter has long promoted. Many viewers have entered competitions inspired by challenges laid down in the programme. Those who worked at Television Centre will recall how access to the site and in particular the Blue Peter garden was restricted to staff only. It seems fitting that when the site becomes publically accessible, so the mural can be enjoyed by more people.
When complete, the Television Centre development will feature 950 new homes, restaurants, a new 47 bedroom hotel and members club with roof terrace and swimming pool operated by Soho House. New cafes and restaurants, shops, leisure and entertainment uses and open access through the site’s famous forecourt and through to Hammersmith Park.
When Blue Peter moved to MediaCityUK, Salford in September 2011, the sunken garden, its ornamental fishpond and bronze statue of Petra, the show’s first pet, were also relocated to an area accessible to members of the public at the front of the MediaCityUK complex.
Jon Jacob is Editor, About the BBC Blog
