BBC is accused of using Blue Peter to 'promote its LGBTQ+ agenda'

BBC is accused of using Blue Peter to ‘promote its LGBTQ+ agenda’ after broadcasting children discussing sexualities and gender identity at Pride event

• Campaigners say show is promoting message that children are ‘born this way’
• Show featured drag queen and children talking about attending The Pink Picnic

The BBC was today accused of using Blue Peter to ‘promote its LGBTQ+ agenda’ after broadcasting a clip of young children discussing sexualities and gender identity.

Family campaigners said the show promoted a message that children are ‘born this way’, by showing a banner with those words and a choir singing the Lady Gaga song.

The segment in an episode shown on June 23 was presented by Abby Cook, who in March became the 42nd host of the world’s longest-running children’s TV show.

Cook joined a West Midlands LGBTQ+ choir called Rainbow Voices to sing Born This Way at The Pink Picnic, a festival in Salford, Greater Manchester, held on June 17.

The clip – which is still available on iPlayer – also featured a drag queen describing the event as ‘grassroots Pride celebration, whether you’re LGBTQ+, whether you’re an ally, and it’s a family friend event as well, so we include absolutely everybody.’

A drag queen in the Blue Peter episode talks about The Pink Picnic, a LGBTQ+ festival in Salford

A young girl at the The Pink Picnic event tells Blue Peter that ‘it’s good to be different’

In addition, young children were interviewed as part of the episode, with one girl saying: ‘It shows that loads of different people, like if your gay, lesbian, transgender, or anything – it’s representing that you’re you, and it’s good to be different.’

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Another girl at the festival said: ‘I’m here because my auntie, she’s actually lesbian, so I came here to celebrate her. It means a lot, it’s my whole heart basically.’

Falkirk-born presenter Cook had introduced the segment by telling viewers: ‘June is Pride Month when we celebrate and support all those in the LGBTQ+ community.

‘What better way to celebrate than by singing loud and feeling proud? Here’s what happened when I was challenged to perform with the Rainbow Voices Community Choir.’

But campaigners were outraged because the clip had no parental advisory warning or age guidance, in a programme which is often watched by very young children.

The Family Education Trust said it was ‘highly inappropriate to discuss adult sexuality and gender identity with children under the age of legal consent’.

A spokesman for the organisation added: ‘The BBC is now using its longest running children’s programme, Blue Peter, to promote its LGBTQ+ agenda. This clip, broadcast last week, had no parental advisory warning or age guidance.’

The trust also said: ‘The programme also features drag queens and promotes the message that children are ‘born this way’.’

Also today, Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, told MailOnline: ‘It is disturbing that the BBC is using its longest running children’s programme to promote inappropriate gender identity ideology and drag queens to children as young as five. 

Another girl at the festival tells Blue Peter that she is here because her auntie is a lesbian

A banner saying ‘Born This Way’ is held up at the event during a performance by the choir

Abby Cook in March became the 42nd host of the world’s longest-running children’s TV show

‘It is disrespectful to parents who expect the BBC, and particularly Blue Peter to provide age-appropriate entertainment for their children, without extreme and partisan sexual ideology.

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‘This amounts to the indoctrination of our children with an ideology that is coercive in its approach by requiring approval and celebration from every individual and institution without dissent.’

Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox, who is preparing to compete for Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, also hit out at the video on Twitter.

He called for communications watchdog Ofcom to launch an investigation and described Blue Peter as carrying out the ‘political indoctrination of children’.

It comes after the actor-turned-political activist burned LGBTQ+ bunting in his back garden on June 18 in a stunt.

Ofcom directed media enquiries on Blue Peter today to the BBC, saying that the watchdog operates complaints under the ‘BBC First’ process which means the BBC can resolve audience complaints before they can be escalated to Ofcom.

If any complaints are subsequently referred back to Ofcom, the watchdog will record them in their BBC complaints section of their fortnightly broadcast bulletin which is published on Mondays. 

Cook, 20, was announced as Blue Peter’s newest presenter on March 6, co-hosting alongside Mwaka ‘Mwaksy’ Mudenda, Joel Mawhinney and Henry the dog.

She has a background in wheelchair racing and wheelchair basketball, and was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome at birth which causes her joints to easily dislocate.

Speaking in March about being hired for Blue Peter, she said: ‘I was speechless when I found out, I had to check it was true, it was a very emotional moment knowing I would actually be presenting a show I love and had grown up with.’

It’s the second time this week that Blue Peter has been in the news, after it was revealed former presenter John Noakes was allowed to keep his ‘beloved’ Shep the dog – despite claiming they were forced apart by the BBC when he quit. 

Blue Peter is produced by BBC Studios Kids & Family. MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.

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