Blue Peter axed from BBC One

TV bosses have stunned Blue Peter fans by announcing it will be dropped from BBC One.

Children's programming is heading to CBBC and CBeebies following the digital switchover as part of director general Mark Thompson's 'Delivering Quality First' proposal.

The scheme aims to cut millions from the budget by 2017 and reassess the BBC's output.

But Julian Payne, the head of press and media relations at the corporation, has assured viewers that Blue Peter - currently hosted by Helen Skelton and Barney Harwood - will still continue to be made.

In a post on his Twitter.com page, he writes, "For absolute clarity the BBC is not ditching Blue Peter. Blue Peter already premieres on CBBC and is repeated on BBC One. More 6-12s watch it on digital channel as it is."

Blue Peter has been broadcast since 1958, making it the longest-running children's TV programme in the world.