TikTok star Kyle Thomas, who boasts 34 million followers, has reportedly joined Blue Peter as a new presenter. The 21-year-old from Lisburn, County Down, is believed to have been chosen by the BBC to replace Joel Mawhinney, who left the show earlier this year.
Thomas is known for his videos about exotic animals, which have proved extremely popular on TikTok. A source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Thomas has a real passion for animals, and that has proved extremely popular on TikTok. If they can bring just a few of his followers over to Blue Peter, it really is a no-brainer to sign him up.'
Thomas previously fronted a segment on the CBBC show telling viewers that 'creepy crawlies can be cute', and also starred in the BBC Three documentary 'We Built a Zoo' to highlight his love for animal welfare. In 2022, his mother, Zena Foord, was convicted of smuggling an unlicensed capybara from Cambridgeshire into Northern Ireland. Kyle shot to fame after posting a video of himself with the £5,000 exotic pet, which he named Queen Elizabeth and dressed in clothes, a tiara and jewellery. The capybara later fell ill and died.
Joel Mawhinney, 28, announced his departure from Blue Peter in February after four years. An insider said at the time: 'Joel has done his time on Blue Peter and felt the time was right to explore other opportunities. Bosses were gutted by his decision but understood his reasons for wanting to leave.' His departure sparked fears that his co-host and girlfriend Shini Muthukrishnan, 25, would also leave, but she has remained on the show.
