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Michael Sundin (1 March 1961 – 23 July 1989) was an English television presenter, actor, dancer and trampolinist, who is best remembered for his short time as a ''Blue Peter'' presenter (1984–85). ==Early life and career== Michael Sundin was born in Low Fell, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. His parents were Alan and Joyce Sundin, and he had a brother named David. After winning five British titles and one world title in British & World Trampolining tournaments, he entered show business in 1980 when he appeared in the pantomime ''Jack and the Beanstalk'', with Barbara Windsor. Sundin made various television and theatre appearances, both as an actor and dancer, which led to a long run in the Cameron Mackintosh-produced musical ''Cats'', in which he played Bill Bailey in its West End run from 1982 until 1983. He appears in the video for Culture Club's ''I'll Tumble 4 Ya'' from 1982. In 1984, he began rehearsing the character Tik-Tok for the Walt Disney film ''Return to Oz'', and this was covered by the long-running BBC children's magazine programme ''Blue Peter''. Sundin impressed the editor, Biddy Baxter, and was invited to audition for the presenting vacancy left by Peter Duncan; it was his fortune that one of the audition items was to interview someone on a trampoline, and he presented his first programme on 13 September 1984. In October 1985, a newspaper printed photographs of Sundin dancing with a male stripper in London.〔Refer to Which states "The one-time world trampoline champion was sacked after further details of his gay lifestyle emerged."〕 After fronting 77 episodes, the editors and production team for Blue Peter decided not to renew Sundin's contract following the summer break, because they felt that he had little rapport with the viewers and it was claimed by the editor that some parents and children complained about his effeminacy.〔According to Biddy Baxter and Edward Barnes' book ''Blue Peter: The Inside Story'' (Letchworth: Ringpress, 1989, p.195)〕 However, coverage in the press of him as a gay man are also rumoured to have been a factor. He presented his last show on 24 June 1985. Sundin was very unhappy about this decision, and made his feelings known in the tabloid press. In 2007 the former editor of ''Blue Peter'' Biddy Baxter was interviewed by the journalist Mark Lawson,〔Mark Lawson Talks to Biddy Baxter (BBC Four, 31.05.07, dir. David Thompson)〕 transmitted as part of BBC Four’s ''Children’s TV On Trial'' week of programmes. For the first time on television, Baxter was confronted about the departure of Sundin. In the interview Baxter blamed the press for the inaccurate coverage of Sundin's sacking from the programme because of his sexuality. In previous documentaries and programmes Baxter had avoided addressing such questions about Sundin's involvement in the programme. In the interview she denied that he had been sacked due to his sexuality and said that "It was his leaving the programme because children didn’t like him – nothing to do with his sexual proclivities". Sundin subsequently appeared in the film ''Lionheart'' (1987) in which he was incorrectly credited as 'Michel Sundin'. From 1987-88 he was in UK theatre tour of ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' and a Japanese/Australian tour of ''Starlight Express''. One of his final public appearances was as a dancer in the video for Rick Astley's ''She Wants to Dance With Me'' (1988). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Michael Sundin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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