Yvette Fielding says she was bullied on Blue Peter

Yvette Fielding, the TV presenter who gained fame as the youngest-ever host of Blue Peter, has revealed that she experienced bullying during her time on the show and came close to quitting. Fielding, who joined the children’s program at the age of 18, described her ordeal as being “pushed to the limit” and shared that the experience left her emotionally distressed.

Fielding noted that if a young presenter were to encounter similar conditions today, there would be significant consequences. She emphasized that her first year on the show was challenging, citing loneliness and a lack of training. She felt like an outsider and expressed her homesickness.

The presenter attributed most of the mistreatment to Biddy Baxter, who served as Blue Peter’s editor from 1962 until her retirement in 1988. Fielding characterized Baxter as “incredibly cruel,” revealing that she faced constant criticism and was made to feel useless.

Fielding also recalled having a strict 9 pm curfew enforced by the producers, who would call her every night to ensure she had gone to bed. She further claimed that Baxter forced her to reveal her skin condition, vitiligo, to viewers against her will.

Despite enduring a difficult first year and deciding to resign, Fielding was persuaded to stay, and Baxter retired later that year. Her remaining four years on the show were described as enjoyable.

Fielding’s description of her experience with Baxter aligns with the claims made by some other former Blue Peter presenters, who characterized the working environment as one of criticism and control.

However, Fielding conveyed that she holds no resentment towards Baxter and believes that the experience made her stronger. She acknowledged that Baxter’s actions gave her the courage to stand up for herself in the television industry.

Fielding even praised Baxter for encouraging her to reveal her skin condition on the show, as it had a positive impact on viewers with similar conditions, boosting their confidence.

The jomotoday attempted to reach out to Baxter, who is now 90 years old, for a response but has not received one as of yet.

In a 2009 interview with The Independent, when asked if she was a dictator at work, Baxter responded by questioning whether the interviewer’s editor was dictatorial, suggesting that editing was an integral part of the role. She also pointed out that she had only had three secretaries in 23 years, indicating that she must have had more bearable moments.