John Craven's last Newsround

Final sign-off from John Craven after 17 years of presenting the Newsround childrens programme, followed by interview on 22.6.89 edition of Blue Peter that came next in the shcedules (also includes clip from Swapshop 1980 pantomime)

[@Jamie_Dodger]

What a legend. Loved watching newsround with him

[@mothiurNCL]

They don't do these style of presenting with down to earth presenters anymore.

[@angelacooper2661]

I was nineteen at the time and remember it well. He started when I was a mere two years old, so I grew up watching the programme.

[@goodbloke8417]

Is that Caron Keating? My god, she was a stunner!

[@robtaylor5310]

She certainly was, and is much missed

[@thepub245]

Tragically taken so young by cancer.

[@johnrider5701]

I remember watching the very first episode of newsround fifty years ago,

[@angelacooper2661]

I don't, as I was just two and in the pushchair then! John Craven left Newsround when I would have been nineteen; I grew up watching this programme!

[@SuperBartles]

I remember his exact words "and finally.. this is the last time I'll be saying 'and finally'"

[@acampbell8614]

He then popped up on Countryfile and has been there ever since. A legend. Hes ALWAyS been on telly. I first remember him age 7, around 1970 as the young cub reporter on Nationwide talking to camera while riding a Raleigh Chopper.

[@sametoyoutoo8509]

I used to see him in Tesco in Bournville in Birmingham Always smiley and friendly.

[@jamescricketson9464]

Not like that Richard Madeley

[@muhammadalieesaa3379]

& he's still doing Countryfile.

[@patrickstocks3986]

John is nearly 80 years old

[@angelacooper2661]

And I am now in my early fifties; Newsround started when I was just two and John left in 1989, by which time I would have been nineteen!

[@ashfaq1999]

Legend.

[@sixtysecondvlog]

The very first Newsround was 10 days before I was born!

[@AlisonBryen]

This is the first incarnation of Newsround that I can remember.

[@Blubatt]

Me and John Craven have the same Blue Peter Badge

[@patrickstocks3986]

0:28 ‘GOODBYE JOHN’

[@patrickstocks3986]

John was 48 years old when he left newsround

[@muhammadalieesaa3379]

& his next job was Countryfile & he's still running it.

[@Keithbarber]

So, if he did it for 17 years, he was 31 when he started it

[@patrickstocks3986]

John is now 78 years old

[@patrickstocks3986]

0:26 that John’s final words in the news round

[@muhammadalieesaa3379]

That was his last catchphrase (Hello again)

[@patrickstocks3986]

Farewell John

[@DanielRuszo-cr6yj]

😢

[@thebohemian.]

The end of an era.

[@leeosborne3793]

He seemed a bit emotional there! Top bloke.

[@stuartmack7658]

I think I have the hots for Caron Keating all over again.

[@patrickstocks3986]

0:27 was John’s last on screen 📺 of newsround

[@robalexander8065]

22 June 1989.

[@angelacooper2661]

Just two weeks after my nineteenth birthday!

[@kerryman9589]

Rip

[@jasondrury8301]

Just found this video, if he was so sad, why did he leave

[@MrDannyDetail]

I think 1989 was near the beginning of a changing culture at the still-quite-new-and-evolving CBBC, in which they were rumoured to want all their presenters to be below a certain age to seem young and trendy to the kids (I seem to recall hearing 35 being bandied around in the 90s as their sort of upper age limit for children's presenters). So he may have been 'encouraged' to leave due to being, and beginning to look, older. Certainly a fair few of the older presenters/contributors at CBBC left (or at least noticeably reduced their contributions to the schedule) in the 89-93 period, or thereabouts. These days presenters often work on CBBC (or a competitor) for just a few years as a stepping stone to getting into adult telly, but as far as I can see the late 80s CBBC had a fair few faces that had made children's telly their long-term career, having been there for 2 or more decades in some cases, so I think that unfortunately some 'new broom' had begun sweeping out what they perceived as the 'cobwebs'.

[@peterwilliamskelhorn6675]

@@MrDannyDetail he moved on to countryfile

[@danwoodhouse9290]

Was Blue Peter live in those days?

[@anonUK]

I don't know how it's done now but I think back in the day, it was made like most "live" TV of the time. The filmed inserts which had been recorded at any time from earlier that day to weeks or even months beforehand were linked together on videotape in the studio by the presenters, maybe a couple of hours before transmission. The presenters would then add some other material "as live", ie. at the same time as recording the links, then the whole package edited and put out at teatime. The links could be recorded live, of course, certainly in the late 50s- early 60s when videotape was at a premium- but as the programme became more established and it became easier to get and edit videotape and film together, the whole package could be recorded and edited in advance. I suppose as BP was a children's programme, on a relatively shoestring budget, there may have been presenters doing live studio material on the odd day but on the whole, by the 80s, very little would have still been live.

[@MrDannyDetail]

@@anonUK Blue Peter would have gone out genuinely live as far as was possible. Yes they would have played out the odd film or VT during most editions, giving the presenters a few minutes respite to check the script etc, but most of the show was live. According to the Blue Peter archive the only thing on this particular edition that was not live was a VT about the leavers of Liverpool that had been made by Mark on the 22nd and 23rd May. This was the penultimate show of that series, with the final show on 28th June being Mark's last show and the last outing of the Mike Oldfield version of the theme music.

[@jonskitch8082]

Looks like Imraan khaan

[@hawthornselitelevel1220]

Spitting image of him!

[@lynfordcasting7461]

Lot of ginger around Children's BBC in those days...

[@patrickstocks3986]

0:00-0:37

[@AM1465]

BMX bikes can be dangerous if you don't wear knee pads.

[@sametoyoutoo8509]

Lovely Caron :( just awful

[@joannesaltfleet2071]

Another example of how life isn't fair seeing how young she was when she died.

[@patrickstocks3986]

😢