Play School presenters went on air stoned

Play School presenters went on air stoned on huge marijuana joints, according to a new BBC documentary.

Recalling his time on the BBC children's show, former presenter Johnny Ball revealed that drug use even spilt on screen in a nativity scene.

He said: "There was Rick Jones, Lionel Morton and myself. They got stoned on the biggest joint you've ever seen - in the studio.

"We were in silhouette as the three shepherds with our crooks... They were absolutely stoned out of their minds."

Ball, 73, who insisted that he was not stoned himself, added: "I couldn't work with it. I really couldn't."

Others told how a culture of drug use was effectively tolerated at the BBC during the 60s and 70s and how the corridors of Television Centre reeked of it.

Sir David Attenborough recalled pleading with colleagues: "Look, please, don't smoke that stuff openly so we can all smell it. Just be sensible."

Joan Bakewell, the presenter, said visiting pop stars would often indulge: "Of course they smoked and they didn't smoke ordinary cigarettes," she said.

Tales Of Television Centre, to be screened on BBC Four later this month, also reveals that the BBC was a hot bed of sex.

Former Doctor Who actress Katy Manning, who played Jo Grant, said: "People were bonking all over the BBC. Everybody was doing it on the premises."

And Janet Fielding, who played the Doctor's sidekick Tegan, added: "Nobody cared whether you had sex in your dressing room."