Joel Mawhinney, who was born in Bangor, will take over as the newest host of the venerable children’s television program Blue Peter.
The 25-year-old magician and content producer was a guest on the program for the first time in 2018.
Joel will co-host with Richie Driss, Mwaksy Mudenda, and Henry the dog as the 41st Blue Peter presenter.
On Friday, November 11, at 17:00 GMT, CBBC and the BBC iPlayer will broadcast their first live show.
At the age of 18, Joel attended Bangor Grammar before pursuing a career in entertainment.
He described his experience as the 41st Blue Peter presenter as “surreal” and “wonderful.”
“I’ve always enjoyed using magic to make people happy, and I hope to do the same for the viewers of Blue Peter.
I’ll do my best to live up to their high standards; I can’t wait to get started.
During the summer of 2022, Joel taught some of his fellow presenters magic tricks and guest-presented the program.
At the age of five, he developed an interest in magic, and at the age of 11, he started performing.
On social media, where he has a tremendous following—16.5 million people on one platform alone—he is best known for his illusions. In 2020, he will also appear in his own “Life is Magic” BBC NI TV series.
In true Blue Peter fashion, Joel will be thrown into the deep end with a road journey to Scotland that includes cliff leaping into Loch Ard’s chilly waters.
“I think that our Blue Peter audience will adore the excitement and fun he’ll bring to the show,” Blue Peter editor Ellen Evans remarked.
Joel continues the tradition set by fellow Northern Ireland-born hosts Adam Beales, who departed the program earlier this year, the late Caron Keating, and Zoe Salmon.
Every Friday at 17:00 on CBBC, Blue Peter can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
Also Read: Is Deadliest Catch’s Josh Harris Wed? Family And Wealth
