I was extremely sad to learn of the passing yesterday of John Noakes. John was the longest serving member of the Blue Peter team joining the programme in 1965, he stayed for nearly 13 years.
John soon became known as Blue Peter's action man and over the years took on many challenges.
Some of John's most nail biting action moments included, climbing the mast of HMS Ganges,
hurtling down The Cresta run in Switzerland and climbing to the top of Nelson's Column to clean Nelson's hat. John also entered the record books when he became the first British citizen to make a five mile free fall parachute drop with the RAF.
John looked after two dogs during his time on Blue Peter, Patch was the son of Blue Peter's first dog
Petra. Patch sadly died at the young age of 5.
Patch's replacement was a black and white Border Collie called Shep. John and Shep were inseparable.
Shep could be as excitable as his master, and John's cries of Get Down Shep became a familiar catchphrase.
John was part of the famous Blue Peter team of John, Peter Purves and Valerie Singleton, but he also presented with Christopher Trace, Lesley Judd and Simon Groom.
John also fronted a spin off show called Go with Noakes during his last two years on Blue Peter and for 18 months after he left, before setting off on a round the world yacht trip with his wife Vicky. The voyage was cut short after a large wave badly damaged the boat off the coast of North Africa. They settled in Majorca where they made a home.
John Noakes
1934 - 2017
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