BBC bans Doherty from children's TV

Doherty, who was arrested early yesterday on suspicion of the theft of a car in Hackney, East London, is barred from Saturday children's music show TMi, flagship news programme Newsround, Blue Peter, Children In Need shows and all other programmes under the CBBC banner.

The drug addict and boyfriend of supermodel Kate Moss could find the ban hits sales of records by his band Babyshambles among children.

A BBC spokesman said: "Pete Doherty is well known for his drug-taking and criminal behaviour and is not an appropriate CBBC guest."

He added that it was an 'editorial decision based on target audiences'.

The censorship of the 27-year-old singer was revealed as part of a discussion on news judgment during the BBC review programme Newswatch.

Answering questions about Doherty, Newsround editor, Tim Levell, said: "On Newsround we have an informal agreement we don't cover Pete Doherty at all - in fact, there is one across the whole of BBC Children's TV.

"And if his management asked if he could be a guest on a Saturday morning show, we would say no because we don't think he is a good role model for children."

Mr Levell admitted Doherty was newsworthy, saying: "I can see how many news channels want to cover him because he is a sort of flawed genius.

"Personally I think he has a little too much coverage - particularly because he hasn't had any hit singles. I couldn't sing a single Doherty song."

There is no ban in force on the BBC's radio channels - Radio One regularly features the singer in news stories and on their playlists.

Andy Boyd, Doherty's manager, said: "Kids who want to buy Peter's records will not not buy them because the BBC are not supporting him. I would like their support, but it's not critical to his future career.

"Things are getting better and better and we are are about to sign the largest record deal of the year."

But Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said: "I think it is high time that it happened. With the way Pete Doherty behaves, is it the example you want to set to youth?"

Doherty has a list of convictions for possession of drugs including heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis.

He has also been involved in a string of controversial incidents and been arrested a number of times.

In March last year he was photographed plunging a syringe into the arm of 21-year-old Laura McEvoy at a drug-fuelled party in East London.

And last November the rocker was fined £750 for lashing out at a woman reporter outside Thames Magistrates' court. He kicked a microphone out of the hand of Radio One Newsbeat's Trudi Barber.