Richard Bacon denies urban legend that he snorted cocaine off a Blue Peter tortoise

Presenter was fired from children’s show in 1998 for drug use

Richard Bacon has put to bed an urban legend that he once snorted cocaine off a Blue Peter tortoise.

The TV presenter joined the children’s programme in 1997, but was fired 19 months into his contract after reports emerged about his use of the Class A drug.

While appearing on Mel Giedroyc’s Dave comedy show Unforgivable alongside Jimmy Carr, Judi Love and Lou Sanders, Bacon was asked why he left Blue Peter, prompting laughter from Carr and the audience.

“I got fired for punctuality because if you take a lot of coke you’re always late,” the presenter said.

Giedroyc then repeated an old rumour that Bacon had snorted the drug off one of Blue Peter’s pet tortoises, joking, “Do you remember Fred and Frieda the tortoises? Big white lines,” as she mimed taking lines of cocaine on the tortoise’s shell.

Bacon on Blue Peter in 1997 (Rex Features)

“What, he gave them coke?” a shocked Love said, misunderstanding Giedroyc’s reference.

“I didn’t give any tortoises coke,” Bacon clarified, adding: “I got fired for taking drugs.”

Speaking about his drug taking while working on the show, he joked: “They would shout, ‘That's a wrap,’ and I would shout, ‘Where?’”

Bacon’s firing was a huge story at the time, with head of BBC Children’s Programming Lorraine Heggessy appearing on the show to explain how Bacon had “let down the millions of children who watch Blue Peter”.

However, Bacon returned to the children’s programme in 2018 to celebrate its 60th birthday, saying: “I can never hold down a job for long. I’ve hosted a lot of shows in a lot of places. And yet the one I have the most affection for is the one I got fired from.”

If you or anyone you know is suffering from substance abuse problems, help is available. The NHS drug addiction helpline can be reached at 0300 123 6600.