eBay sales provoke Blue Peter response

Posted on 29 Mar 2006 at 14:16

The BBC has suspended free entrance to attractions across the UK for Blue Peter badge holders, following a recent spate of badge sales on eBay.

Blue Peter badges are awarded to viewers who are deemed to have made a contribution to the long-running children's TV programme. As well as the prestige, recipients get free access to scores of tourist, entertainment and educational attractions.

The BBC has been monitoring the sale of badges on ebay for some months and succeeded in getting 'large numbers' removed from the site, though not by buying them it insisted.

However in a statement released today it announced that the free entrance programme will be suspended until a new, secure system can be put in place to stop people who have purchased badges using them to gain free entry.

'This is a sad but necessary short-term step to safeguard the future of the Blue Peter badge scheme and to protect children who have earned their badges and who are feeling very let down by this cynical trade,' said Blue Peter editor Richard Marson. 'We have a responsibility both to them and to the partners on our visitor list.'

Blue Peter badges are awarded to children under 16 years old, according to the BBC website, which then goes on to say that the Queen and Madonna have each received one.

There are five different versions: the original blue-on-white badge or interesting letters, good ideas for the programme, stories, poems, pictures and for having appeared on the programme; plus a silver for someone who already has a blue; a green for environmental and conservational contributions; and ultimately the gold badge, awarded only for outstanding achievements such as saving somebody's life or extreme bravery.

Author: Simon Aughton

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