08/03/2012 Blue Peter

Coming up on today's live Blue Peter:

Marcus Collins gives you an exclusive back-stage pass to the X

Factor live tour rehearsals - and not everything is going to plan.

That wasn't meant to happen. If you're stuck for what to get

your mum this Mothers' Day, don't miss our vintage-inspired jewellery

make that won't break the bank. Plus, Dr. Who's assistant Amy Pond

APPLAUSE It's amazing what they'll do if you

throw them a fish. Welcome to Blue Peter. Watch.

That's how live we are. We've got celebrities, competitions, even a

little bit of X Factor. (Dramatic music)

I needed writing on my arm for that to work properly. As he said, we're

live. That means you can get involved. Unlike a lot of other

shows on telly, you can give us feedback, and we mention your name.

Lionel Messi scored five goals in a Champions' League match. What is

your biggest achievement? Drop us Helen. Here's a question for you.

If you were to have your life turned into a movie, who would you

want to have in the leading role? This is a story I love telling. I

would love film actress Kate Hudson from Bride Wars to play me. I was

told a look a little bit like her. Do the pose - the pout. I can't do

it. Do you know who I would be? Jack Black from Guliver's Travels.

You do have a little bit of a resemblance. I think he could play

a really good Barney. I need to hug you for that. But he has a little

bit more padding than you have. This is a fictitious conversation

between us, but this actually happened to one family in Devon.

Their life's story was turned into a film, and I went to meet them.

Imagine what it would feel like to find out that the story of your

life was being turned into a blockbuster film with super-famous

actor Matt Damon starring as your dad and two Hollywood child actors

playing you or your brother or sister. That is exactly what

happened to 10-year-old Mylo and eight-year-old Ellen Meade. Six

years ago, their dad Benjamin decided to move their family from

the South of France to here in south Devon. Instead of buying a

normal house, they bought this place - Dartmoor Zoo. With 30 acres

and over 200 animals from around the world, it's not your average

place to grow up, but it became the children's home. Now their life

story has been made into a movie, the new Hollywood blockbuster We

Bought a Zoo. This place is perfect. It's a bit complicated. What's so

complicated about this place? (Roar.)

It's a zoo. Yeah! Back in 2006, this zoo was due to be shut down

forever. In spite of having no experience of caring for wild

animals, the family couldn't resist saving it and becoming part-time

keepers to its animal residents. Did you have any animals before you

moved here? We had a really big dog called Leon. But one big dog is a

lot different to tigers, bears and noisy goats.

And there must be a lot of differences between living in a

normal house and a zoo house. Do they keep you awake at night?

bears growl. The wolves howl at night. I now hardly ever notice it.

Although the zoo is in south Devon, the movie is set in southern

California. When so much detail has been changed from the Meade's real

story, it has made me wonder how much of the film is fact and how

much is fiction. I am Benjamin. This is Rosie, my daughter.

And my big boy, Dylan. This is a Hollywood movie, so it doesn't

totally mirror your lives. What are the differences? Well, Sasha's -

I'm not called Dylan. Mylo. And in the film, he's really moody. He

doesn't want to move to the do. This is what you want. It's not

what I want! I am the opposite of that. And he had a love interest.

Do you have a girlfriend here? What about you? Same as Mylo, in

the film I am called Rosie. I would love to see the otters and the

snakes and the monkeys. What about the dog? The dog was completely

different. He was really big, and in the film, he's just a small

beagle. This is our dog, Leon, and this is

our zoo now - I guess. So Matt Damon plays your dad in the

film. Yes, he is classed as a bit of a heart-throb. Ladies love him.

Do you think your dad looks anything like Matt Damon? Um, not

that much. You're handsomer than the other dads. Lots of them don't

have hair, so that's good. Matt Damon's got quite a lot of hair.

Yeah. My dad hasn't got any hair. The film is finished. It's out in

the cinemas soon. Have you guys seen it? Yeah, we went to the

premier in New York, and you have to go on the red carpet. 50 or more

people going, Mylo, Ella, look over here! There were about five stops

of pictures and a hundred stops of interviews. What's it like seeing

your life up on the cinema screens? It was exciting because you have

never seen this film before, and it's about you. Right at the end, I

really began to realise, oh, yeah, this is our story! So you have

tasted the movie life. You're involved in the zoo. Do you want to

be an actor or a zookeeper? Both. Both. You're kind of doing both,

aren't you? That means we have chores to do. What's next? We're

going to feed the meerkats. Let's not keep them waiting. One thing

the film did get right is they help with the running of the zoo. One of

their jobs includes giving their visitors talks about the smaller

animals, including the meerkats and some rather squeaky otters. This

one here is Temoan. This one is Sue. This otter is actually semiaquatic.

Everyone, everyone, like that. Thank you for coming. I hope you

enjoy your day at the zoo. APPLAUSE

Mylo and Ella seem pretty confident around these little guys, but not

all the zoo's residents are quite so cute.

Whoa! That's right. It's time to feed the zoo's three hungry

Siberian tigers. These massive cats are safely behind bars while we put

out their meals. Whatever is in this bucket... This is...

Absolutely stinks! This is a horse's neck. It's the closest to a

zebra, which they normally eat in the wild. I think we should get out

Well, thank you for showing me around your zoo. Would you ever

swap this zoo for the movie version? No. No. I don't think I

would either. How on earth could you top those three?

Now, you may think those tigers are scary, but you haven't seen this

one running fors a biscuit. That is terrifying. Look at him go! Right.

Still to come on today's show, the Doctor's Twisty assistant Amy Pond

needs you to enter a writing competition. Marcus Collins gives

you an exclusive backstage pass to the X Factor rehearsals for the

live tour. First, find out how I created my frozen self-portrait

without ever leaving the comfort of a warm studio. What you call a cool

shoot. I see what you did there. Mothering week is around the corner.

You want to show someone you appreciate them. One way to do that

is by making a hand-made gift. I make this vintage-looking broo.

Here is how you can make your very own.

Mothers - when it comes to Mothers' Day, we never know what to buy them.

Should you go for the classic flowers option, a box of chocolates,

or maybe go super-sentimental and give her a framed photo of yourself.

Well, if you're looking for a gift that's a bit more unusual than the

typical Mother's Day presents, come with me. This is Fats Cassene, an

independent fashion and jewellery designer. She specialises in

creating contemporary hand-made jewellery with a vintage male.

Today she's agreed to show you how you can make an absolutely gorgeous

accessory to give to your loved one this Mother's Day.

Thank you so much for letting us gate crash your studio. What are we

going to do? Make a flower brooch today, perfect for the day. Where

do we start? Get your fabric. starts by getting me to make petals

out of the fabric. We're going to cut out triangle shapes, or maybe

you can round it off. You'll need at least four large, four medium

and six smaller petals. Think about the colours your mum might like.

like recycling because I hate throwing things out - things I

don't use. Me too. Next up, the middle of the flower. Use two

circles, one larger one, which is going to be the base, then the

small one for the circle. I have my two circles and a pile of petals.

Now we need the glue. We're going to put glue down the centre back of

the petal, just halfway down. using craft glue. This ends up

clear. Now it's time to arrange the petals in the shape of a flower.

Press it down. Leave it for a second, then squeeze.

Next up, you'll need broken jewellery to make your centrepiece.

If you don't have any lying around, try charity shops or ask your aunts

and friends. A nice Bob of glue. You need to find a centrepiece and

some nice little ones around it - perfect. Those look nice. Sprinkle

some around. Now we need to leave this to set. Whilst that is drying,

we need to make the back of the brooch. You need to use a safety

pin, then two rectangles, a generous amount of glue on it. Hold

your safety pin. Paint down all the side - quite generous as well, so

place on the petal. Hold the pin until it's set, and you're almost

done. When this is dry, we'll put it on

the back of the brooch. OK. With the brooch ready, it's time to add

the finishing touches. I liked how the other one looked a bit frayed

and distressed. I'll show you how to fray the edges. Hold it and just

- can you see how it starts to come away? It's starting to get there,

isn't it? Yeah.

Once you're happy with the look of your flower, stick it to the safety

pin, and there you have it, your very own one-off Mother's Day gift.

If you head over to the Blue Peter website, you'll find a step-by-step

guide. While you're there, check out the exclusive web clip showing

you how to make one of these bracelets. I think they're quite

funky. You can even make a headband out of one of those... Helen...

Hang on! Send us one of your photographs and... I am going to do

my impression now. See if you can guess who it is. Ready?

(Voice of Peter Dickson). "And now, live in the Blue Peter

studio, it's Helen Skelton!" Wow, that's amazing. It's that guy

from the X Factor, right? "That's right, Peter Dickson." I

love that guy. $NEWLINE "Why, thank you!"

Well, Barney, seeing as you've got the voice down, I think you should

do this next bit. "Now, for a Blue Peter exclusive.

It's time - to Face - the Music!" The X Factor has intertained you in

your millions on your telly boxes at home. Just when you thought it

was over for another year, the gang are hitting the road to bring you

the X Factor live tour 2012. We're about to give you lucky Blue Peter

viewers an exclusive backstage pass without having to leave the comfort

of your home. This year's tour kicks off, and now Marcus Collins

wants to give you an inside story This is where it all happens. The

big celebrities have been here, Jessie J, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga.

This is where we are rehearsing for the X Factor tour. Check it out.

This is the clothes rail for the tour. This is Johnny's. This is one

of mine. Bright red, Liverpool. We support Liverpool! This is the

dressing room for the male artists. Hello, lads. How are you doing?

is The Risk. They took 9th place in last year's show. What is it like

being on tour now that the competition is over? Have you been

supporting the other acts? Yes. It is nice to be back together to see

everyone and support each other. It is not a competition now so it is

friendlier. Everybody has grown in the last couple of months, just

watching them, compared to on the show with the pressure and the

nerves. Now they can relax and be themselves and it is nice to see

them enjoy themselves. It is the last rehearsal. Are you nervous?

All or nothing today. We feel prepare because we have been

rehearsing for two weeks solid. We are ready, aren't we, boys? What do

you do to relax backstage? We have all got our earphones and we listen

to music and have a laugh. Conversation, writing songs and

stuff. We have been writing music and that chills you out.

It takes 130 tonnes of staging, 180 lights and 92 backstage staff to

get this show on the road. Manchester! And 17 year-old Janet

and Amelia cannot believe how lucky they are to be here. We are the

youngest on the tour as well. We should be in college and we are

going to be performing in arenas in front of thousands of people.

wonder where markers is. Have you seen him? No. With Marcus pulled

into more rehearsals it is down to me to interview the overall winners.

Hello. We are Little Miss. Yes, I know. What are you enjoying most

about the tour? We have been rehearsing all day, dancing and

singing. It has been fun. favourite dance routine, Super bass.

I like the dance break in it. favourite is empty. The harnesses

start digging in to us. Any other downside to being popular?

hardest part is that it is non-stop. We have to do six songs in a row.

We are not very fit but this will be a good way to get ourselves into

shape. With his routine over, markers is back to grill the most

important lady on the tour, his boss! You have an important job.

Yes, I am show producer and choreographer of the expat the tour.

I put together the whole vision of it. -- the X Factor tour.

surprises? Yes! She is not giving anything away its but we are

determined to get the gossip. there any performances that stand

out? I have to say yours because you have some fantastic ones and

you are very lucky. You have some brilliant performances taken from

the television show. With rehearsals drawing to a close, it

is time to give him a well-earned break, so his best mate Craig, who

took 6th place in the competition, grabbed the microphone to fulfil a

lifelong dream. I have always wanted to be a Blue Peter presenter.

This is opportunity. Are you excited about this job? I cannot

put into words how it feels. It feels right to be on stage. You get

to meet the fans face-to-face, the people that supported us and it

will be nice to meet them. What are the worst bits? Pyrotechnics. My

hair nearly set on fire. I did not know the sparks would go next to me

and I was shocked. Was that meant to happen?! I slipped over a couple

of times and I don't want to do that but bad rehearsal and a good

performance was stop exactly. rehearsals have officially finished.

The next stop for these guys, the live shows.

I love it. And we have got an exclusive performance from Marcus

Collins later in the show. Don't go anywhere. Here is a chance to see

your writing turned into an excellent episode of Doctor Who. If

you are aged between 9 and 11 you should enter this competition.

Pond has more information. Blue Peter viewers, pay attention.

There are dark forces trying to jam this transmission so why do not

have long. I am still trapped in a land of fixture with the Doctor.

There are no stories, no action and no hope. The only way to escape

from this living nothing this is for one of you to think up a story,

set on another planet or here, a story about the Olympics, but not

in 2012. You can take the Doctor anywhere in time and space. But you

only have until March 16th to rescue us. Please, please help us.

There is still some time to get your entries in but you have to

start writing. You look excited. am excited. Get involved. Go to the

website and click on the loan. is nearly Sport Relief and you have

a chance to get involved. John Bishop, the comedian, has been

doing a marathon and all sorts of other things to raise some

sponsorship and awareness for this amazing charity. Fantastic effort.

No wonder he is cheering. It is all about raising awareness and getting

sponsorship for Sport Relief. Before I went to the South Pole I

had to take a publicity picture to show you what I might look like.

But let me tell you a secret. I might look frozen in that

photograph but it was actually taken in a very warm studio. This

is how it worked. It is the picture that has appeared

across the UK to raise awareness of my Sport Relief Antarctic challenge.

How do you take a photograph of somebody in a South Pole before

they have even left the UK? The first port of call, make-up magic.

Normally when I am at a photo-shoot I have smoky eyes, lip gloss, big

eyelashes. This is different. They are going to put red colouring on

me so I look like I have got windburn. I am now suitably burnt!

But for the correct look I need ice, magically created by salt and sugar,

just like what you find in your cupboards at home. I want to

flatter my eyelashes but I am nervous about shaking of the

crystals. They look cool. Giving me the polar low it is just one part

of creating the photograph. My eyelashes will be wasted without

the right background. I did a lot of research on Arctic skies and

they are just like British ones, basically! It is either a nice or

nasty. Make-up, background, costume, check! It is amazing that it takes

a halt team of people to conjure up my one photograph. -- a whole team.

Is that sold? Yes. And probably not very nice! There is one last trick

to complete the illusion. Spraying my jacket with water and ice. At

last, after hours of preparation, it is finally my big moment. I have

to perfect the cold but heroic look. The photographer's assistant

masters the art of throwing fluffy, plastics know. -- plastic snow. As

I strike a pose after pose, the photographer checks the images on

the computer until we are all happy that we have got the perfect shot.

And this is it. If only I looked so glamorous when I was in the South

Pole! I was rubbing salt and sugar out of my eyelashes for days and it

was painful! That was a great photograph. We asked you to let us

know what your biggest achievement so far is. This is because Lionel

Messi has scored five goals for the first time in a Champions League

match. Jessica has got a special award in a scout group. Well done.

Mary won and open diving championship at the age of seven.

Well done. Merely says that her biggest achievement was winning a

competition for designing an Easter egg. Mind it looked like Barney. I

don't know if they mean you all the dog! Probably the dog because he is

better looking! Thank you so much for getting in touch. We love it

when you are part of the show. Next week you can be part of this.

Cooking does not get other than this. I go head-to-head with Aaron

Craze in a bid to create an eco- friendly feast. And Dick and Dom

will be joining us live in the studio to talk about their brand

new show. Anything could happen! With those two and you it will be

chaos! We promise to an explosive performance from Marcus Collins and

it is almost time to get dancing. Can I do it? Go on!

PETER DICKSON'S VOICE: It is Marcus Collins with Higher and Higher.

That is very good! See you next week.

PETER DICKSON'S VOICE: Yes, see you Come on!

# Your love, lifting me higher. # So keep it it up.

# Quench my desire. # And I'll be at your side, forever

more. # You know your love.

# Keep on lifting. # Higher.

# I said your love. # Keeps on lifting me.

# Higher and higher. # Now once I was downhearted.

# Disappointment was my closest friend.

# But then you came and it soon departed.

# And you know he never. # Showed his face again.

# That's why. # You know your love.

# Keeps on lifting. # Higher.

# Higher and higher. # I said your love.

# Keeps on lifting me. # Higher and higher.

# I said your love. # Keeps on lifting me.

# Higher and higher. # I said your love.