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Blue Peter names adventurer Leo Olsson as its 45th presenter

The BBC children's show Blue Peter has announced filmmaker and adventurer Leo Olsson as its 45th presenter. He will earn his badge in a formation skydive in his first episode on 20 November.

2 outlets · 0L · 0C · 2R First reported Account updated
Image: Daily Express
Image: Daily Mail

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The story, neutrally told

Right · 2Blue Peter has announced filmmaker and content creator Leo Olsson as the show's 45th presenter, a year after the programme's relaunch. Right · 2He is best known for his "world's longest bucket list" project, in which he documents ambitious personal challenges such as learning the piano and building a surfboard from scratch. Right · 2The Daily Mail gives his age as 23 and says he has 13 million likes and 450,000 followers on TikTok. The Daily Express says he was born in London in 2003 to Swedish parents and raised in Jersey. It adds that he began with technology reviews on YouTube and spent a year at the London School of Economics before leaving to become a filmmaker. It puts his total at more than 13 million likes and 454,000 followers across social media platforms.

Right · 2His first episode will air on CBBC on Friday 20 November. In it he will earn his Blue Peter badge by joining a formation skydive 4,000ft in the air. Right · 2Olsson said there is "no other show in the world" like Blue Peter. He said he wants to show children they can take on a challenge, big or small, and called joining the programme "a privilege". Right · 2Sarah Muller, the BBC's Senior Head of Children's Commissioning, called him "a natural storyteller" and a "perfect fit" for the programme.

Right · 2Blue Peter first aired in October 1958 and was relaunched in September 2025. The Daily Mail says the relaunch included a move to a new studio in Manchester, and the Express says the show is now seen across BBC iPlayer and digital platforms. Right · 1The Daily Mail says Olsson joins Shini Muthukrishnan and Abby Cook after Joel Mawhinney's departure. Mawhinney, who joined in 2022, was reported in February to have quit after four years. An unnamed insider told the Mail on Sunday that he will film his final show in the coming months and that bosses hope to keep Muthukrishnan. Right · 1The Express cites audience figures: more than 21.1 million YouTube channel views, 6.8 million iPlayer streams, and more than 340,000 children aged 5 to 15 holding a Blue Peter badge.

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Left0 outlets

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Right2 outlets

Framing
Both right-leaning tabloids run the announcement as an upbeat showbiz piece built around his adventurous persona and the skydive debut. The Mail adds behind-the-scenes detail on presenter departures and relationships.
Emphasis
The Express stresses his bucket-list project, his background and the programme's audience figures. The Mail stresses the skydive entrance, the relaunch, Joel Mawhinney's exit and the insider's comments.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither outlet quotes anyone outside the BBC and Olsson. Neither reports independent reaction to the appointment.
Charged language
“iconic show”“fan-favourite”“impressive 13 million likes”“uplifting and authentic storytelling”
For example
“as the iconic show celebrates a successful year since its relaunch” — Daily Mail
“Leo joins Blue Peter as the fan-favourite celebrates a successful first year following its relaunch” — Daily Mail
“His uplifting and authentic storytelling has attracted more than 13 million likes” — Daily Express