He was the longest serving presenter of CBBC’s Newsround from 1998 to 2008.
And Lizo Mzimba was in the news again this week after an unlikely performance on stage at California’s Coachella music festival.
The respected journalist, 54, said he was ‘honored and grateful’ after a flashback of him from his time on the children’s show was projected onto a big screen during elusive British artist Jai Paul’s first ever appearance.
The English singer-songwriter made his solo debut on the iconic stage after years of producing music for the likes of Beyonce, Ariana Grande and Drake.
Lizo, who is now the BBC’s Entertainment Correspondent, took to Twitter and shared a photo of the historic and unexpected moment.
Unexpected: Former Newsround host Lizo Mzimba made an unlikely appearance on stage at Coachella during British artist Jai Paul’s elusive set on Thursday
Iconic: The respected journalist, 54, said he was ‘honored and grateful’ after a flashback of him from his time on the children’s show was projected onto a big screen
What a day! After the performance on Twitter, Lizo shared a photo of the historic and unexpected moment
Writing: ‘Never thought a photo of me from my Newsround days would be projected on a big screen at Coachella over the weekend’.
‘Very honored and grateful. Thank you @Jai_Paul’.
Fans raced to the comments sections and were thrilled to see the host, they were also left with many questions.
One wrote: ‘No way! Please tell me the backstory to this…”
While another said, ‘How? Why? Great, but there are BIG questions’.
Last year, former Newsround presenters including Lizo, Krishnan Guru-Murthy from Channel 4 News, Julie Etchingham from ITV and John Craven celebrated the show’s 50th anniversary.
One of the program’s major firsts was coverage of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
The shuttle broke apart and exploded in January 1986, minutes before that day’s Newsround episode aired.
Debut: English singer-songwriter Jai Paul made his debut on the iconic stage after years of producing music for the likes of Beyonce, Ariana Grande and Drake
Surprise: Fans raced to the comments sections and were ecstatic to see the iconic host they had questions about
Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight films, was asked to sign up to star in the franchise after seeing a report on Newsround.
In tribute to Newsround, Mr Craven told the BBC: ‘Newsround is as important today, if not more so than when it started 50 years ago.
“Because in this world of fake news, untruths being spread, children being given access to all means of communication, it is so important that they have access to a program that they believe is theirs, that is aimed at them and that tells the truth. ‘
When Newsround launched, it was one of the first news programs in the world specifically aimed at children.
It aired for up to 15 minutes each weeknight, before the main evening news at 6:00 pm.
For the show’s first 15 years on the air, it was called John Craven’s Newsround.
When other presenters joined in 1987, it was shortened to its current name.
Anniversary: Last year, former Newsround presenters including Lizo, Channel 4 News’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy, ITV’s Julie Etchingham and John Craven celebrated the show’s 50th anniversary (L-R) Lizo Mzimba, Ellie Crisell and Laura Jones in 2003
babysteps: When it started on April 4, 1972, John Craven’s Newsround was just a six-week experiment. Above: A broadcast of the show in the 1970s
Rich history: Lizo, who presented Newsround from 1998 to 2008, said it is ‘impossible’ to come up with ‘just one fond memory’ of his time on the show
Mr Craven remained in office as editor and presenter for a further two years before leaving in 1989.
The show was much more informal than the BBC’s main news output, with the presenter standing rather than seated.
Mr. Craven also coined the phrase “and finally,” which he would use before wrapping up the show with a light-hearted story. The technique is still used today.
Mr Grint, who is now 33, said he signed up for a role in the Harry Potter films when he saw a report on the upcoming franchise on Newsround.
Lizo presented Newsround with fellow future familiar face Matthew Price (top left). David Bull (pictured top right) is now a politician for the Reform UK party. Kate Sanderson (lower left) is now a presenter on the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS)
Helen Skelton was also an occasional presenter on Newsround. She is now a well-known broadcaster
Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in all eight films, was asked to sign up to star in the franchise after seeing a report on Newsround
He told the BBC while filming for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000: ‘I found out that you could audition (for the film) by sending a picture of yourself and some information to Newsround. I made my own video.’
He said he pretended to be his female drama teacher, did a rap and made up his own script.
Mr. Grint’s performance impressed the franchise’s bosses, who chose to cast him as Ron Weasley in all of the films.
Mrs Etchingham joined the cast of presenters in 1994 and remained in her post until 1998. She is now a leading presenter for ITV News.
Mr Craven said: ‘When Newsround started in 1972 it was a six week experiment and I was asked to do it because I was already working on a children’s program called Search, which was our weekly current affairs programme.
‘So I came up with the word Nieuwsronde, because it reminded me of a newspaper round, so it would be about children.
And then the boss said ‘well, but if it’s a newspaper round, it’s normally someone’s paper round, so this is going to be John Craven’s news round’.
That’s how it was titled and the audience seemed to like it. So this six-week experiment came to an end and they said, let’s do it full time.’
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