Richard Bacon reveals 'deep sense of shame' over Blue Peter scandal
Former Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon felt a "deep sense of shame" after he was sacked from the children's TV show for taking cocaine, because it led to his dad breaking down in tears.
Richard Bacon felt a "deep sense of shame" after his Blue Peter cocaine scandal led to his dad breaking down in tears.
The 49-year-old TV presenter made his name presenting the flagship children's programme in the late 1990s, but he was dismissed from the job after 20 months when the News of the World newspaper published a report of him taking cocaine.
Now, Richard has recalled his mum telling him the only time she has heard his father, Paul Bacon, cry was after the star's sacking, when Paul went into the shower in a bid to hide his tears.
Speaking on podcast How to Fail, Richard said: "Well, the biggest shame about it is, some time later, I don't know how much time later, my mum told me it was the only time that she'd heard my dad cry, ever.
"He's just from that generation that doesn't. His own dad came out of World War II and didn't show emotion.
"The News Of The World comes out on a Sunday and this is now the Monday morning. [Dad's] got to go to court where he works, [as a criminal defence lawyer] and he went into the shower to cry.
"He turned on the shower, so that [mum] wouldn't hear him cry. He didn't want her to know. She didn't tell me at the time. She left it quite a while to be honest.
"Even to this day, she said It's the only time I've ever heard him cry. So when she told me that story, I felt a deep sense of shame."
Richard believes his former best friend sold the story to the publication because he was "jealous" of his success.
Speaking about previously taking the drug with his ex-pal, who he refused to name, he recalled: "We were best mates and he got a wrap of it and I took the whole wrap at once. I didn't really understand it and I threw up, but I had taken it a handful of times before that.
"I think he was jealous of me. So I did 20 months on Blue Peter, pretty much the same amount of time that Keir Starmer was Prime Minister."
After being sacked from the show, Richard was forced to hand in his Blue Peter badge - but he got one back 20 years later, when one of the show's legendary hosts, Peter Purves, presented him with a badge at the programme's 60th anniversary.
Richard said: "Peter Purves, in front of all the other Blue Peter presenters, off camera, pinned one on me in front of them. And he said, 'All is forgiven.'
"And all the other Blue Peter presenters applauded."
Despite his Blue Peter axing, Richard bounced back, going on to present The Big Breakfast and Top of the Pops, before carving out a career in radio and guest presenting on Good Morning Britain.
