Poetic Licence: the sacking of a children's presenter

Martin Newell
Wednesday 21 October 1998 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Richard Bacon, a presenter of Blue Peter, has been sacked by the BBC after being caught on a Saturday night vodka and cocaine binge.

Not since vandals wrecked Blue

Peter's garden

Has a shock wave come this forty

years.

Cast aside those Fairy Liquid

bottles,

Wash the tea-time plates in

children's tears.

Telephones from baked bean tins

and cotton,

Lion leaf-spreader gum and sealing

wax,

Wholesome trains of thought for

British children,

Stitched and glued were set upon

their tracks.

Now let's watch as Lesley's busy

making

Working submarines from cotton

reels.

Canter through an after-school

Elysium,

Peter, Val and Petra at your heels.

From a railway in Snowdonia

Noakes yells at a camera in the fog:

"The only line that I remember taking,

Get down, Shep... was to Ffestiniog."

In its golden days, the show's

producer

Kept a mop and bucket by the door,

Just in case an elephant or donkey

Launched a molten missile on the

floor.

All you need's cocaine and baking

soda,

A ball-point tube, some silver foil

and... CUT.

Only muffled voices break the silence,

And the sound of Auntie's door being

shut.

Keep your nose clean. Literally,

presenter.

Hang on to your badge and watch your

step.

I once went with Noakes - don't tell

the tabloids.

Here's one I made earlier. Get down

Shep!

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in