A time capsule buried by Blue Peter presenters in 1998 has been accidentally dug up by builders, 33 years before its planned unearthing in 2050.
The Millennium Time Capsule was buried beneath the Millennium Dome, now the O2 Arena, by the show’s former presenters Katy Hill and Richard Bacon. Contained within it are a selection of items intended to represent the year it was buried, sent in by the show’s viewers.
According to a spokesman for the O2, the venue and its contractors had been searching for the time capsule, but had accidentally damaged it during their excavation. They plan to either repair or replace the time capsule and rebury it until 2050.
Inside the time capsule were various objects that summarised ’90s Britain for Blue Peter’s young viewers. Alongside a Blue Peter CD, guide and a collection of the show’s famous badges, viewers had also sent in items such as a Spice Girls CD, Teletubbies cuddly toys and a Tamagotchi. Roller blades and a football were also included in the capsule, along with The Roald Dahl Treasury book, an asthma inhaler, an insulin pen, British coins, and of Prime Minister Tony Blair, Princess Diana and the Oblivion Ride in Alton Towers. Art work from the show’s viewers was also included.
A statement from BBC regarding the time capsule being unearthed reads: “Although a little earlier than anticipated, we’re looking forward to sharing these memories with our viewers and making new ones as we return the capsule to the earth so that it can be reopened in 2050 as originally planned.”
Blue Peter continues to run to this day, with it currently being hosted by Barney Harwood, Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya live on CBBC.
