Children's role models on CBBC

Apparently Newsround have an informal agreement not to cover news about Pete Doherty because they don't think he is a suitable role model for children.

But Tim Levell adds that it's not a blanket ban forever and says Newsround might even report on Pete if he gets married. Now if he was gay, and getting a civil partnership, I'm fairly sure that would be a blanket ban forever.

On Newswatch 12 January 2007, Tim Levell said that the ban on Pete Doherty applied to the whole of BBC children's tv and that "if his management got in touch with us and said Could he be a guest with us on a Saturday morning show, at the moment we would say no, because we don't think he's a good role model for children."

All this is very interesting because TMi, the current CBBC Saturday morning show has included mock fights with presenters using gratuitous violence bashing each other in the face with boxing gloves and frying pans, complete with convincing sound effects.