Ex-Blue Peter host Konnie Huq SLAMS BBC budget and urges broadcaster to bring back children’s TV claiming the nation has lost ‘era of family viewing’

Konnie Huq has urged her former employer the BBC to bring afternoon children’s television back to BBC One after claiming the country has lost the ‘era of family viewing’.

The 48-year-old television presenter, who was Blue Peter’s longest-serving presenter from 1997 to 2008, also hit out at the broadcaster’s children’s programming budget, saying it is currently being spread across a number of channels.

BBC stopped broadcasting children’s programs on its main channel in 2012 and moved its programs to a dedicated CBBC digital channel in a bid to reduce costs.

Konnie, who shares two sons with 53-year-old Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, told The Mirror: ‘Blue Peter was on BBC1 three times a week in what was still an era of family viewing.

‘That’s why the BBC needs to bring children’s programs back to BBC1 after (children) come home from school. I think it would be a better way to use the budget for children’s programming, rather than splitting the budget between two entire channels.

Konnie, who was Blue Peter’s longest-serving presenter from 1997 to 2008, also made use of the broadcaster’s children’s programming budget, saying it was currently spread across a number of channels (pictured on Blue Peter in 1999)

‘Then you could have Blue Peter back, and programs like Newsround. Just give us an hour a day, that’s all I’m asking.’

A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We are the UK’s largest commissioner of culturally relevant homegrown children’s programming, offering families moments to enjoy shared British storytelling, broadcast on both BBC One and CBBC – such as The Famous Five and Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, returning this Easter after a popular debut at Christmas.

“We also recognize the way families watch TV is constantly evolving and why we offer content curated specifically for kids that can be accessed whenever they want on our digital platforms.”

Last year the BBC was told to step up its game after it emerged that most of the cartoons it offers for older children are foreign animations.

Despite being mandated in its charter to deliver ‘distinctive production’, the company has bought up vast quantities of youth programs made in Japan and the US, among other places.

Research shows that about 60 percent of animated programs for older children on the company’s iPlayer service are foreign.

There are 285 hours of foreign cartoons for this age group, compared to 84 hours of British content for older children.

Analysis from the CBBC section of the company’s streaming service shows that this includes 125 hours of the popular Japanese anime series Pokemon.

BBC stopped broadcasting children’s programs on its main channel in 2012 and moved its programs to a dedicated CBBC digital channel in a bid to reduce costs (Newsround hosts pictured)

Konnie, who shares two sons with Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, 53, said: ‘Blue Peter was shown three times a week on BBC1, in what was still an era of family viewing (pictured 2020)

She also said: ‘That’s why the BBC needs to bring children’s programs back to BBC1 after (children) come home from school. I think it would be a better way to use the budget for children’s programs, instead of splitting the budget between two entire channels.’ (pictured on Blue Peter)

iPlayer’s ‘100% Cartoons’ section for CBBC viewers, which is for older children, shows the extent of foreign imports it uses to appeal to these young people.

This includes over 300 episodes of Pokemon, as well as other Japanese shows, including 50 episodes of Dragon Quest. US shows include Dragons – Riders Of Berk, Arthur and We Bare Bears.

There are also shows from Canada, Australia and France, among others.

British-made cartoons on the service include Danger Mouse, Dennis & Gnasher and Shaun The Sheep.

Tory MP Giles Watling, who sits on the culture, media and sport committee, was critical of the company’s overreliance on foreign cartoons.

He said: ‘We just need to promote our own culture and the BBC is the absolutely ideal vehicle to do that – (it) must do its best and encourage and promote local talent.’

Corporation sources have pointed out that the BBC has tripled its investment in British animation for the seven to 12 age group, but this will take some time.

The BBC’s TV budget will fall by £100 million this year as part of the cuts. The aim is to reduce the number of original TV programs broadcast by 1,000 hours per year.

Last year the BBC was told to up its game after it emerged that most of the cartoons it offers for older children are foreign animations (We Bare Bears pictured)