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Blue Peter Star's Cocaine Shame: Father Wept in Secret
16 Jul
Summary
- Richard Bacon's father hid to cry after his cocaine scandal broke.
- A close friend betrayed Bacon by selling his story to a newspaper.
- Bacon had to return his Blue Peter badge after the scandal.
Richard Bacon has spoken about the profound impact of his 1998 Blue Peter cocaine scandal, revealing that his father wept in private after the story broke. His mother later told him his father, a criminal defense lawyer, hid in the shower to cry. Bacon acknowledged his past cocaine use, stating it was incompatible with his role on the children's show.
Bacon detailed how a close friend from his early days at BBC Radio Nottingham betrayed him by recording their conversation and selling it to the News of the World. He described this act as a profound betrayal, possibly fueled by jealousy. Following the scandal, Bacon was dismissed by the BBC and required to return his Blue Peter badge.
Despite the fallout, Bacon has had a successful broadcasting career and was welcomed back for Blue Peter's 60th-anniversary celebration in 2018, where he received a replacement badge. However, he acknowledged that the scandal continues to define his public image, anticipating it might be the first line of his obituary.
