BBC Children’s Hires New Editor for Blue Peter

BBC Children’s in-house productions has appointed Ellen Evans to the position of editor for the flagship children’s series Blue Peter.

Evans, a 20-year vet of the BBC, is Blue Peter’s first female editor since Biddy Baxter, who ran the series from 1965-88. She is the eighth person to hold the position on the flagship show, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. She succeeds Ewan Vinnicombe, who left the BBC last month.

Evans has worked on factual and entertainment output for BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three, as well as various other BBC Children’s productions. She served as series producer on Blue Peter from 2013-15.

She previously worked as a senior content producer on digital platforms for CBBC and CBeebies brands. Evans also held the position of senior events producer for the 2017 Children’s Global Media Summit and is currently series producing CBeebies’ YolanDa’s Band Jam.

Evans said: “It really is a dream job for me to become the new Blue Peter editor. It is such a special show. I remember watching Blue Peter when I was a kid, I collected stamps and sent in milk bottle tops to raise money. I entered a competition to design part of the Liverpool Festival Gardens and tried to spot my entry on the massive boards in the television studio. I am really looking forward to joining the amazing Blue Peter team.”

Alice Webb, director of children’s and education at the BBC, added: “We’re thrilled Ellen is rejoining the Blue Peter team as its new editor. She is a beacon of creativity, endeavor and was born for this job. Ellen has a wealth of experience that is underpinned by her uncompromising commitment to young audiences. She will be a brilliant Blue Peter editor—our flagship show is in great hands.”