Tuesday, November 01, 2011

BBC editorial judgement is often questionable, and last night children's TV seemed to lose any sense of proportion. Blue Peter centred on a Hallowe'en quiz hosted by Ore Oduba. The contestants were Blue Peter presenters Helen Skelton and Barney Harwood. The scoremaster was Richard Quincey from the London Dungeon. Before the quiz began we found out about Helen's worst fear:

Helen: Oh everybody knows that I hate rats.

Barney: You don't like rats?!

Helen: It's not that I don't like them - I know some people have them as pets and think they're cute. But I genuinely feel a little bit sick whenever I even see them.

Barney: Well then, you're gonna hate this. This is what's known as the rat coffin! Yes it's an ordinary coffin that we're going to lie in - well one of us is - and then they're gonna fill it with rats.

We never did get to find out what Barney feared most, although he said he didn't mind rats at all.

It turned out that Helen picked up fewer points in the quiz, and then got carried off over Quincey's shoulder to undergo her ordeal.

Helen Skelton in a coffin with rats - Blue Peter 31st October 2011

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