Blue Cheater: BBC show admits phone-in fake
Updated on 14 March 2007
BBC children's show Blue Peter has apologised after becoming the latest programme to be drawn into the TV phone-in scandal.
It's aimed at children - with a reputation for trust second to none.
But today the BBC flagship programme Blue Peter admitted it too had faked the result of a phone-in competition.
Phone in scandals
Viewers were invited to call a premium rate phone line to win a toy. But a technical failure meant a caller couldn't be selected.
So a child visiting the studio was asked to phone in and give their answer - and they got the prize.
The controller of BBC children's programmes says the incident was "A serious error of judgement." Blue Peter broadcast an apology this evening.
The BBC did not make a profit from the 10p calls - 3.25p from each call went to Unicef.
