Blue Peter star’s hamster squeal

Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq admits she may have slightly exaggerated her empathy with animals to get her job on the popular children’s show.

‘ Before I joined, I told the producers how amazing I was with animals, but I’d actually never had a pet before. So I was really not accustomed to handling or being around animals at all,’ she says.

‘Then one of the first jobs I did on Blue Peter was the 42nd annual small animals’ roadshow in Doncaster, and I had to interview the owner of all these hamsters.

‘A large crowd gathered to watch us and this hamster bit my hand.

‘I just screamed and let go of it.’