BBC’s Newsround turns 50: Show which started as a six-week experiment in 1972 went on to launch the career of Julie Etchingham and prompted Rupert Grint to audition for Harry Potter – as original presenter John Craven leads tributes
- First episode of what was then John Craven’s Newsround aired on April 4, 1972
- Mr Craven, who is now 81, frequently appeared on air in colourful jumpers
- Past presenters include ITV News’s Julie Etchingham and the BBC’s Lizo Mzimba
- Channel 4 News’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy also began his career on Newsround
When it began on April 4, 1972, John Craven’s Newsround was just a six-week experiment.
BBC bosses had believed that children hated the news, but Mr Craven insisted that they just disliked the way it was presented for adults.
The show, in which presenters were seen standing rather than sitting, went on to be a resounding success and today celebrates its 50th year on British TV screens.
Mr Craven, who is now 81, frequently appeared on air in colourful jumpers and became a cult hero to generations of Britons.
Now, past presenters including Channel 4 News’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, ITV’s Julie Etchingham, BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba and Craven himself have spoken to the BBC about its impact to mark the major milestone.
Among the programme’s major scoops was its coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
The shuttle broke apart and exploded in January 1986, minutes before that day’s Newsround episode was set to air.
Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who portrayed Ron Weasley in all eight films, was prompted to apply to star in the franchise after seeing a report on Newsround.
Paying tribute to Newsround, Mr Craven told the BBC: ‘Newsround is so important today, if not maybe more important than when it started 50 years ago.
‘Because in this world of false news, untruths being circulated, children getting access to all methods of communication, it is so important that they have access to a programme that they feel is theirs which is directed at them and which tells them the truth.’
When it began on April 4, 1972, John Craven’s Newsround was just a six-week experiment. Above: A broadcast of the show in the 1970s
When Newsround was launched, it was one of the first news programmes in the world to be aimed specifically at children.
It aired for up to 15 minutes each weeknight, before the main evening news at 6pm.
For its first 15 years on air, the show was named John Craven’s Newsround.
Then, when other presenters joined in 1987, it was shortened to its current name.
Mr Craven remained in post as the editor and a presenter for another two years before departing in 1989.
The show was much more informal than the BBC’s main news output, with the presenter standing rather than sitting.
Mr Craven also coined the phrase ‘and finally’, which he would use before rounding off the show with a lighthearted story. The technique is still used today.
Mr Grint, who is now 33, said he applied to feature in the Harry Potter films when he saw a report about the upcoming franchise on Newsround.
He told the BBC during filming for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000: ‘I found out that you could audition [for the film] by sending a picture of yourself and some information to Newsround. I did my own video.’
He said he pretended to be his female drama teacher, performed a rap and made up his own script.
Mr Grint’s performance impressed the franchise’s bosses, who opted to cast him as Ron Weasley in all of the films.
Ms Etchingham joined the cast of presenters in 1994 and remained in her post until 1998. She is now a leading presenter for ITV News.
Ms Etchingham joined the cast of presenters in 1994 and remained in her post until 1998. She is now a leading presenter for ITV News. Above: Ms Etchingham and her Newsround co-presenter Chris Rogers are seen on set in 1994
Craven became well-known for his relaxed style of presenting and his colourful jumpers
When Newsround was launched, it was one of the first news programmes in the world to be aimed specifically at children
Mr Mzimba, who presented Newsround from 1998 until 2008, said it is ‘impossible’ to come up with ‘just one fond memory’ of his time on the show
Mr Mzimba presented Newsround with Ellie Crisell (left) and Laura Jones (right). The trio are pictured above in 2003
Mr Craven said: ‘When Newsround started in 1972, it was a six-week experiment and I was asked to do it because I was already doing a children’s programme called Search, which was our weekly current affairs programme.
‘So I thought up the word Newsround, because it reminded me of a paper round, so it would involve children.
‘And then the boss said ‘well yeah but if it’s a paper round, it is normally somebody’s paper round, and so this will be John Craven’s newsround’.
‘That’s how it got the title and the audience seemed to like it. So this experiment of six weeks came to an end and they said let’s do it full time.’
Mr Craven went on to present 3,000 editions of the show before he stepped away in 1989.
For its first 15 years on air, the show was named John Craven’s Newsround. Then, when other presenters joined in 1987, it was shortened to its current name
Newsround began in 1972 and has been on air ever since. Above: The original Newsround logo
The presenter had never been in the BBC newsroom when he presented Newsround for the first time.
He was the first Western reporter to be allowed to film on one of China’s panda reserves and he also interviewed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
As well as being the first to report the news of the Challenger disaster, Newsround also broke the story of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981.
Mr Guru-Murthy, who is now well-known as one of the faces of Channel 4 News, joined Newsround in 1991 and remained as a presenter until 1994.
He said: ‘My real first day was diving with a basking shark with my co-presenter Juliet Morris off the Isle of Man.
‘We were on a boat and had to dive off it and swim towards the sharks. We then had to do a piece to camera saying sharks are really scary but are in fact harmless.’
Ms Etchingham said: ‘One of my favourite Newsround memories was travelling up the Amazon to stay with one of the indigenous communities, who were trying to protect their precious rainforest from illegal loggers and film with them.
Mr Guru-Murthy, who is now well-known as one of the faces of Channel 4 News, joined Newsround in 1991 and remained as a presenter until 1994.
Among the programme’s major scoops was its coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Pictured: Helen Rollason covering the story
Portrait of journalist John Craven in front of a map of south east England, photographed for Radio Times in connection with the television show ‘John Craven’s Newsround’, August 14th 1975
Mr Craven is seen presenting for Newsround, this time in a shirt and tie. The presenter became a familiar face across the country as a result of his long stint on air
Ms Etchingham (pictured above with Mr Craven and fellow presenter Chris Rogers in 1997) said: ‘One of my favourite Newsround memories was travelling up the Amazon to stay with one of the indigenous communities, who were trying to protect their precious rainforest from illegal loggers and film with them’
‘A less favourite moment was when we managed to film some of the loggers, and fully armed they chased us out.’
Mr Mzimba, who presented Newsround from 1998 until 2008, said it is ‘impossible’ to come up with ‘just one fond memory’ of his time on the show.
But he said his reporting of the impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and his coverage of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans are among his highlights.
Newsround’s current presenters include Ricky Boleto, Hayley Hassall and De’Graft Mensah.
BBC director-general Tim Davie said: ‘Children want to understand events and the world around them.
‘Newsround was a brilliant idea 50 years ago and it is just as relevant today – perhaps even more so in a world of misinformation.’
Director of BBC Children’s Patricia Hidalgo said: ‘For 50 years Newsround has been an iconic part of Children’s TV and continues to inform, educate and entertain the children of today.
‘We are so proud to see it reach this milestone and we look forward to watching it flourish for the children of tomorrow.’
In 2019, the BBC said it was axeing Newsround’s traditional late afternoon edition amid falling viewing figures.
It continues to be shown each morning on children’s tv channel CBBC, as well as online.
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