MI5 opens doors to camera crew for first time for Blue Peter special
A TV crew has been allowed to film inside MI5’s headquarters as part of a Blue Peter special designed to engage kids with the secretive agency.
The intelligence agency has made a special exception, granting access to Blue Peter presenter Barney Harwood, 13 year olds Reuben and Jamie, 10-year-old Jamie and a camera crew as part of the Project Petra competition, which was created to engage kids interested in spying and code cracking.
Over 5,000 entrants where whittled down to a team of eight kids from across the UK who were then put through a number of challenges to find the final three. These included challenges such as not buckling under the pressure of simulated interrogations and code cracking at a spy school in Manchester, according to the Guardian.
Competition judge, James Bond and Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz, who was not provided access to the HQ, said: “The process was a lot tougher than I had imagined – for the children, that is. The pressure was definitely on. The children who participated were all, without exception, serious and committed. If MI5 did run a recruitment programme, I’m sure it would be very similar.
“I have to say that I was extremely sorry not to have been invited along when the children visited MI5, I suppose that illustrates just how special this prize was. It must have been an extraordinary experience to get a glimpse of such a secret, secret world but one which is arguably more vital than ever right now.”
Viewers can get a glance at MI5 HQ when the Blue Peter special airs Thursday 16 April.
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The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters are at Broadcasting House in Westminster, London.
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