Documentary-maker who captured East Timor atrocities on film and left behind his earlier career as a Blue Peter presenterThe documentary-maker Max Stahl, who has died of throat
cancer aged 66, exposed the atrocities of the Indonesian government in East Timor. But he first found fame under his birth name of Christopher Wenner as a presenter of the
BBC children’s television show Blue Peter.
His sporting prowess shone through when he abseiled down the east tower of Television Centre, but the overriding story of his two years on the programme (1978-80) was how he stumbled through scripts and appeared uncomfortable in front of the camera. Nevertheless, his constantly arguing over Blue Peter’s content with the editor, Biddy Baxter, who held an iron grip on the show, gave a glimpse of what he would later bring to news and current affairs television.