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 11 October 2008 09:07 BST

Strictly Come Dancing star Gethin Jones to quit Blue Peter

Tuesday, 08 Apr 2008 17:00
Strictly Come Dancing star Gethin Jones to leave Blue Peter
Strictly Come Dancing star Gethin Jones is to leave Blue Peter at the end of the current series.

The Welshman joined the cast of the longest-running children's television programme in the world on April 26th 2005 and has presented some 270 shows in his time on Blue Peter.

His work with Blue Peter saw him training with the Welsh national rugby team; flying with the Red Arrows; starring as a Cyberman in Doctor Who; and working alongside the likes of Zoe Salmon and Konnie Huq - who made the headlines recently after her carrying of the Olympic Torch through London was disrupted by protestors angry at China's human rights record in Tibet.

But his participation in the fifth series of Strictly Come Dancing saw Jones' star rise as his initially-awkward dancing alongside partner Camilla Dallerup improved drastically, securing the TV presenter a third-place finish after he was voted off in a dance-off in the series' semi-final show.

Jones said he felt "privileged and fortunate" to have had the chance to work on Blue Peter, BBC1's flagship children's show.

"I've appreciated every day of the past three and a bit years and am grateful to all the viewers for tuning in. It's astonishing how much the little blue badge can help others, and long may that continue."

He added: "It's very sad to be 'jumping ship', but I will still be on-screen until the end of the series while working on other projects.

"I've loved it, lived it… and now I feel the time is right to leave it."

Blue Peter editor Tim Levell called Jones a "brilliant Blue Peter presenter" and "the total action man".

"He also cemented his young fanbase and helped raise Blue Peter's profile last year with his starring run on Strictly Come Dancing," he added.

"We wish Gethin all the best for his future career on TV."

Jones is dating a fellow Welsh celebrity opera singer Katherine Jenkins.End of story


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