Far right - Vicar's son, Simon Thomas.

The BBC's Blue Peter show has a host of new fans at Cheam's St Paul's Church.

On Sunday, the name of one man - Simon Thomas - was on the lips of virtually all the congregation after he joined the Beeb's flagship children's show as its latest presenter.

Son of the Northey Avenue church's former vicar, Andrew Thomas, the 25-year-old rocketed to fame after being picked from hundreds of hopefuls to present Blue Peter and follow in the footsteps of famous presenters from the past, such as Valerie Singleton and John Noakes.

A former pupil at Burgh Heath's Aberdour School and at Leatherhead's St John's School, he presented his first Blue Peter programme earlier this month.

Rev Thomas, rector of St Michael's Church in Beccles, Suffolk, since leaving Cheam three years ago, told the Guardian: "The whole family is really pleased that Simon has got the job. Along with the rest of the Blue Peter presenters we are confident of the programme's continuing success - and we wish him and the whole team every success."

The Howell Hill church's vicar of 12 years added that Blue Peter's new star had no skeletons in his cupboard, unlike the show's former presenter Richard Bacon who resigned before Christmas after admitting to taking drugs.

"I can assure you there are no skeletons in Simon's cupboard," he said before joking that his current rectory would probably become a mecca for Blue Peter fans armed with sticky-back plastic and the middle bits of loo rolls.

Sylvia Mills, Press officer for St Paul's, said the congregation were delighted their former vicar's son had landed the top television job.

"Simon is a very confident and personable young man and I'm not surprised that he has done so well. Everybody here is delighted for him and we're sure he'll be perfect for Blue Peter," she said.

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