Blue Peter star Richard Bacon unrecognisable 27 years after being sacked in huge scandal

Richard Bacon, a formerBlue Peter presenter, looks almost unrecognisable compared to his time on the popular children's programme.

At 48, Richard made a name for himself on Blue Peterback in 1997, joining co-presenters Romana D'Annunzio, Katy Hill, Konnie Huq, and Stuart Miles, quickly becoming a staple on children's television.

However, his wholesome image suffered a major blow when, in October 1998, he admitted to taking cocaine in a nightclub and was sacked from the job.

His untimely exit from Blue Peter opened the door for Simon Thomas to replace him, and marked Richard as the first host to be dismissed from the family-friendly show.

READ MORE: The Yorkshire Vet David Melleney's new baby - tears, a big surprise and adorable first photos

Moving on from those tumultuous times, Richard has completely transformed his career over in LA, where he currently works as a TV producer. He lives there with his wife Rebecca McFarlane and their two children, Arthur and Ivy.

In July 2024, Richard took to Instagram directly from a sound studio brimming with new concepts, hinting at a fresh talent show format he is developing.

Sporting sophisticated grey hair and hip Perspex glasses, his appearance now is a stark change from his Blue Peter days.

He captioned the snapshots: "Testing a new music talent show idea / mechanic with @awsuki today (thanks for flying from Sweden). Think it might actually bloody work. (If I never post about this again then... it won't have worked)."

The sudden dismissal of Richard Bacon from Blue Peter became major news at the time.

Lorraine Heggessey, head of children's programming at the BBC, commented: "It is sad that such a talented presenter as Richard Bacon has not only let himself and his colleagues down but, most important of all, he has let down the millions of children who watch Blue Peter."

It seems that Richard has since laughed off this incident, as seen in his light-hearted tweet in 2023.

Celebrating Blue Peter's 65th anniversary, he referred to it as "the most important stage of my career", joking about his previous sacking due to tardiness, with a cheeky nod to his substance use.

Richard has openly spoken about his struggles and in 2018, made a promise to quit substances to better his life, specifically after fighting for life with a lung condition that led him to be placed in a medically induced coma.

In an interview with The Times, he reflected on his habits. "I drink too fast, and I drink too quickly. Four or five drinks a night," Richard shared, "In LA, I've been smoking weed [too]. It's all legal over there. I'm going to stop that as well."

He added: "I'll be a better employee - more creative - and a better dad."

READ MORE: Natalya Wright looks ‘unreal’ in a ‘gorgeous’ black midi that’s perfect for wedding season