BBC Breakfast guest slammed for 'harsh and disrespectful' swipe at late Blue Peter star Biddy Baxter - with shocked fans gasping 'he clearly wasn't a fan!'
Former presenter Peter Purves was invited onto the daytime news show to pay tribute to the late editor of the children's television programme.
Having worked under Biddy for 11 years, Lancashire-born Peter offered a comment on Biddy's character and career.
But angry viewers were shocked at his 'harsh' critique and were quick to question what they deemed a 'disrespectful' interview.
Peter acknowledged Biddy's fierce professional prowess, and told hosts Sarah Campbell and Jon Kay: 'Oh, she was an absolute powerhouse.
'The programme would not still exist if it had not been for her, she was very controlling and she controlled the show wonderfully.'
Former presenter Peter Purves (L) has been slammed by viewers for his 'harsh and disrespectful' jab at Blue Peter's Biddy Baxter (R) - who died on Monday at the age of 92
Former presenter Peter was invited onto the daytime news show to pay tribute to the late editor of the children's television programme (Biddy pictured in 1997)
Peter, 86, recalled how Biddy had been offered the position of the BBC's head of children's programmes in the 70s, but she turned down the promotion in favour of continuing her 'hands-on' Blue Peter role.
But Peter repeatedly highlighted Biddy's 'controlling' nature, saying: 'I mean, she controlled everything about the programme and with quite a rigid hand - we didn't always get on because of that.'
The former Doctor Who actor successfully painted a picture of Biddy as a determined high-achiever, who led Blue Peter to the great fame it enjoyed.
'She knew exactly what she wanted the programme to be and it was a success absolutely because of her,' he said.
'She was a remarkable woman, she was very fixed in her views, always consistent, she wasn't inconsistent in any way.'
But Peter added: '[She was] sometimes quite difficult to work with because of the way she wanted to do it, but she was very innovative, the programme would not have had the spread that it did have without her influence.'
He continued: 'She didn't let us,' before catching the blunt phrase and laughing at himself, rephrasing: 'She didn't let us - autocue was not available to us.
'We got a script the day before the programme and we did it live, having learnt it, and we had to learn it.'
Peter praised the 'highly produced' work of Biddy, but told how she would sometimes 'muck it about' by changing things last-minute before the live broadcast.
Peter said: 'Literally sometimes seconds before you were on air, she was changing things on the programme that we'd rehearsed during the day.
'In the worst cases she would come down about ten minutes before the programme and alter the running order completely, and that affects everybody.'
'It could be very, very testing,' he admitted, before adding: 'But it was very gratifying and she was a very, very clever lady.'
Biddy did not have children of her own, said Peter, but this didn't stop her from 'understanding the audience better than we did.'
Peter looked back on his work days, saying: 'I remember her saying very clearly to me, when I'd been on the programme for about a year, that I was still being too "schoolmasterly" and she didn't want that.'
He concluded: 'She knew what she wanted and what she wanted, she got.'
But Peter's candid tribute did not sit well with fans, who flocked to social media to swap notes on the unusual segment.
Peter's candid tribute did not sit well with fans, who flocked to social media to swap notes on the unusual segment
'Peter Purves bashing Biddy Baxter was obviously not the best person to speak on her death announcement,' one person wrote online.
'It was just a dig followed by a compliment followed by another dig. So disrespectful.'
Another echoed the sentiment, writing: 'It's well known Peter Purvis was not a fan of Biddy Baxter.
'He has just been on BBC Breakfast and, yes, he said a few good things but basically laid into her. Bit harsh surely?'
Other watchers saw the comedic element, with one writing: 'I'm here for Peter Purves not letting sh** go.'
And one person defended Peter and his fellow Blue Peter colleagues from Biddy's era, writing: '[Biddy Baxter was] hugely talented, she created children's magazine form especially in the best John Noakes/Peter Purves era.
'BUT she was also, by all accounts, a bullying tyrant to them.'
And on summed it up simply: 'Peter Purves wasn't a fan then.'
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