Sacked former Blue Peter editor Richard Marson changed the name of the Blue Peter cat to Socks because technical advice indicated that the winning name in the viewer poll had been rigged, according to a show insider.
Mr Marson, who it is understood has been sacked from the BBC, was the victim of a BBC "witch hunt", the Blue Peter production team member said.
"Richard Marson was advised that the vote was unfounded. There was some late surge for the name that was in second place. A group of people decided to [vote] on a multiple basis, clearly there was something fishy about it," the Blue Peter insider told MediaGuardian.co.uk.
"He decided to go with the name that was leading [before the late surge of votes]. He decided that not on his own initiative but because he was alerted to it by technical people."
Cookie, the name that eventually won the viewers' poll, was for most of the vote was in second place behind Socks, until the late surge, the source said.
The online poll to name the Blue Peter cat was one of four new incidents of fakery confirmed today by the BBC.
Blue Peter will once again have to broadcast an apology to its viewers, following the on-screen confession transmitted earlier this year about a phone-in competition in which the winner was faked.
The new apology will be screened when Blue Peter returns after its summer break on Tuesday and the programme will introduce a new kitten, named Cookie.
Blue Peter staff are understood to be angry at the way that Mr Marson, who had been on the programme for about 10 years, was treated.
"Everyone at Television Centre is terrified about the next move," the insider said.
"Everyone else on the programme is just furious about the sacking of Richard Marson. All of us are furious about the stitch-up job. It's a witch hunt."
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