Wheelchair racer Abby Cook is the 42nd presenter of Blue Peter, the world’s longest-running children’s program. She will debut on the show on 10 March, exhibiting her skills and meeting animals at the studio.  

Abby, 20, will co-host alongside Joel Mawhinney, Mwaka Mudenda and Henry the dog. Surprisingly, she will combat her acrophobia as the first challenge on the show. For that, she will abseil down Millers Dale Viaduct (Yorkshire Dales National Park). 

Cook is a Forth Valley Flyers athletics club member. She trains twice weekly with the Paralympians. As the new presenter of Blue Peter, she said, “I was speechless when I found out, I had to check it was true.”  

The Scottish star added, “It was a very emotional moment knowing I would actually be presenting a show I love and had grown up with.”  

Ellen Evans (Blue Peter editor) favoured the new presenter of Blue Peter. She said, “When Abby came to the studio, we knew she would be great for the show because she has an unstoppable ‘can do’ attitude.”  

“She’s up for any challenge and we know she’ll connect beautifully with our audience because she has a real affinity for working with young people, but she also has the biggest of hearts,” she added.  

Blue Peter airs at 5 pm on Fridays on BBC iPlayer and CBBC. It first aired in 1958.

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