Former Blue Peter editor 'sacked'

A former Blue Peter editor has allegedly become the latest casualty at the BBC after a series of fresh viewer deceptions were unearthed.

Richard Marson oversaw the popular children's show which conducted an online poll to name a new kitten in January 2006. Producers favoured the name Socks instead of Cookie as voted by viewers.

A new BBC kitten called Cookie will be introduced to the programme next week. Socks will remain on the show and Blue Peter will broadcast an apology and explanation to viewers on Tuesday when it returns for a new series.

Meanwhile, Ric Blaxill, the head of programmes for BBC 6 Music has resigned of his own accord amid controversy over breaches surrounding shows presented by Tom Robinson, Clare McDonnell and Liz Kershaw.

It follows the sacking of award-winning radio producer Leona McCambridge from 6 Music who was dismissed for gross misconduct following revelations that BBC staff regularly posed as winners on Kershaw's show.

Bectu, the broadcasting union representing Miss McCambridge, attacked the BBC, saying that the producer had been made "a sacrificial lamb".

Other programmes and stations said to have deliberately duped viewers include Film Cafe on the BBC Asian Network, Children In Need, Sport Relief, Comic Relief, children's show TMI and the BBC World Service's White Label.

An internal investigation by the BBC Trust issued a statement after receiving a report from director-general Mark Thompson into the TV fakery row.

It reserved its strongest criticism for the instances of deception involving Comic Relief, Sport Relief and Children In Need.

The statement said: "While these breaches represent a very small number of the programmes broadcast in the last two years, they indicate an underlying problem in non-news areas that management has failed to apply satisfactory editorial controls.

"The connection of some serious editorial breaches with programmes designed to generate charitable giving is concerning and risks damaging the very charitable causes the BBC supports."

It added that "in certain parts of the BBC a culture has developed where knowledge of and/or adherence to the BBC editorial guidelines and external regulation is inadequate and this is resulting in standards not being met which the BBC and the public expect of its content producers.

"The Trust is clear that these cases arose not because of an individual's desire for personal gain but because of some programme-makers' misguided belief that these decisions were in the interest of the programme and that that was more important than honesty and fairness to the audience."

Certain BBC competitions would resume this autumn, the BBC said. The Trust has requested a code of conduct be put in place to assure the public that the competitions are fair.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.