Sunday, 18 November 2012

New book reveals how Gethin Jones nearly missed out on Blue Peter


He is the telly hunk who won Britain’s hearts on Strictly Come Dancing before getting his own broken by singer Katherine Jenkins.

But before Gethin Jones became a household name he was the try-anything action man on BBC kids show Blue Peter.

Now director Alex Leger has lifted the lid on life with the star in his book Blue Peter: Behind The Badge.

The Cardiff-born presenter joined the programme in 2005 – and took part in some death-defying stunts before leaving in 2008.

And when he left the programme, he made a short farewell speech in a crowded studio at Television Centre.

“His parting shot was that ‘Director Alex Leger wrote on the risk assessment for a shoot: ‘Gethin may die’, Alex said. “The assembled collection of BBC staff, freelancers and friends didn’t seem that surprised. Quite a few laughed out loud.”

Gethin was talking about the time he was filmed in a Royal Navy submarine escape training tank in Gosport.

The tank was a 30-metre column of water in which divers had to float to the surface breathing out.

Forgetting to exhale would mean certain death.

Read more: Wales Online

Blue Peter: Behind The Badge, by Alex Leger, is published by Lauren Productions, priced £20

No comments:

Post a Comment