Mugabe Vote in Doubt
Blue Peter "staged" phone-in
Konnie Huq last night apologised to the Zimbabwean public after it was alleged that the 2005 election, run by Blue Peter, was staged. The election resulted in a massive majority for ZANU-PF candidate Robert 'Bob' Mugabe.
However, an independent review by ITC revealed that voters had in fact been plucked from the studio audience and the competition winner, Mr Mugabe, had been told he would win the vote before the phone lines had even opened.
Former child actors Ant and Dec told NewsBeast that this is by no means an isolated incident. In 1998, Kim Jong Il was elected President of North Korea following a botched phone-in on SMTV:Live.
Viewers were charged £88.43 per minute (from a BT land line, other networks may vary) to call in to the "Wonkey Donkey" segment of the show. The public were however unable to correctly identify a gecko dressed as Harry Potter to be a "Wizard Lizard". In the confusion, the North Korean people were elected a new leader.
Meanwhile, the US Government is taking steps to ensure that the next Presidential election is fairly contested. The polls open on 4 November 2008, the same day as the final of the third series of 'Dancing on Ice' is due to air.