Play School host Johnny Ball, 88, claims the BBC will 'mess up' show reboot and reveals he's been asked to be an adviser

Johnny Ball has claimed the BBC will 'mess up' the Play School reboot, as he revealed he's been asked to be an adviser.

The TV star, 88, found fame on the children's BBC show which ran from 1964 until 1988.

Last month, the broadcaster announced that the series is set to return after 38 years but with shorter episodes to fit 'expectations of today's children'.

Johnny – who co-presented the programme alongside the likes of Brian Cant and Floella Benjamin – has been asked to be an adviser for the reboot.

However, the former host is not convinced the reboot will work.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, he said: 'They say they are going to bring it back from April (next year). But I think they are going to mess it up.

'The late producer was Cynthia Felgate and she was the most wonderful person and she was my boss for about 16 years and there was nobody better. And she made that show so strong. 

'You have got 17 countries around the world that made Play School and if they changed it, she would go "Bang! No you don't. Keep to this. Don't do any other way".

'And that is why it lasted so long.'

He continued: 'I think it was a tragedy that the BBC lost children's programmes in the afternoon and now all we watch is antique shows and garden shows and finding a property abroad shows when it should have been kids' shows.

'So today, kids who are seven and eight, they don't even know the channels, and if the kids don't know them then they don't watch children's television. 

'So last year, Blue Peter went out and recorded zero viewers, which is so shocking.

'But the major firm that is pitching for Play School has come to me and said, "Would you be an adviser?"'

Johnny also claimed the BBC was ageist for not wanting to keep its older and more experienced TV stars in favour of young ones to appeal to Gen Z.

Promoting his new book An Autobiography: Stories That Have To Be Told at The Dorchester Literary Festival, he told the audience: 'I did Play School for 17 years, I wrote nearly all of Play Away then I did Think Of A Number and Think Again.

'I loved every minute of it. But what happens when you are 50 at the BBC? Gone! Zoe was 54. Gone! You cannot believe it because we gave so much to the BBC.'

Last month, the BBC invited production companies to pitch ideas for a new version of the pre-school favourite.

The broadcaster wants to commission 50 live-action episodes lasting 14 minutes each – considerably shorter than the original instalments – with the revived programme expected to begin airing during the 2027-28 financial year.

The BBC's commissioning document says: 'The toys remain some of the most cherished elements of Play School and are fondly remembered by generations of viewers.

'We would like the new version of the programme to bring to life a version of the toys in a contemporary capacity aligned to the expectations of today's children.'

It adds: 'We are open to exploring different approaches, whether that involves bringing back the full original line-up or introducing new characters alongside them and representing them through different media including animation.'

That means Humpty, Jemima, Big Ted and Little Ted could all return alongside Hamble, the doll who was eventually replaced by Poppy during the original programme's run.

The BBC is seeking 'new and modern takes' on the format while retaining the mixture of songs, stories, music, movement, poetry, games and imaginative play that defined the original series.

Producers have also been asked to suggest presenters capable of following figures including Baroness Floella Benjamin, 77, Johnny, Chloe Ashcroft, 83, Derek Griffiths, 80, and Brian Cant, who died aged 83 in 2017.

Floella became one of the programme's most recognisable presenters and went on to a long career in broadcasting and public life.

She was appointed to the House of Lords in 2010 and has continued to campaign on issues affecting children.

Brian was another defining face of British children's television.

As well as presenting Play School, he became closely associated with Play Away and provided the narration for the classic animated programmes Trumpton and Camberwick Green.

The original Play School launched in 1964 and was the first programme broadcast on BBC Two.

Its format was built around recreating a nursery or playgroup environment for children watching at home, with presenters speaking directly to young viewers.

Among its best-remembered features were the round, square and arched windows, through which viewers were shown films exploring the world outside the studio.

The revival forms part of a wider BBC push to strengthen its programming for young children amid changes in how they consume entertainment.

BBC bosses are also launching CBeebies Parenting, a YouTube channel intended to provide play ideas, guidance and resources for parents and carers.

The Play School commission includes an additional 70 minutes of material for the service.

The revival comes as broadcasters face competition for young audiences from YouTube and other online platforms. Investment by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 in children's programming fell by 40 per cent over the 14 years to 2024 to below £80million, while the volume of original programming more than halved to fewer than 400 hours, according to figures cited by The Guardian.

The BBC has allocated a total budget of up to £2.5million for the new Play School series and accompanying YouTube material.

Pre-production is expected to begin in February 2027, with half of the 50 episodes scheduled for 2027-'28 and the remainder for 2028-'29