Tim Vincent

Also at the Pilot Light TV Festival it was a pleasure to meet Tim Vincent.

Tim presented Blue Peter from December 1993 until January 1997. During his time on the show he tried his hand at Motor racing, water skiing, training with the England rugby team, he also ran the New York Marathon and took part in The Paras log race.

Summer trips include New England USA, South Africa, Hong Kong and China.

Prior to joining Blue Peter Tim played the part of Billy Ryan in the CITV drama Children's Ward. Whilst he was still presenting Blue Peter Tim also starred in the BBC1 drama Dangerfield and took a presenting job on the BBC's The Clothes Show.

with co - presenters Diane - Louise Jordan & Anthea Turner
and Pets Bonnie, Kari & Oke

with co - presenters Stuart Miles, Diane -Louise Jordan and Katy Hill

After leaving Blue Peter he presented two further CBBC shows Short Change and Fully Booked. During 2000 and 2001 Tim played the part of Vet Adam Forester in the long running ITV soap Emmerdale. Tim later became a reporter for Access Hollywood.

In 2008 Tim took part in the third series of ITV's Dancing on Ice.

More recently Tim has returned to the UK having been mainly based in The USA for several years and has been working on The Wright Stuff and presentation on The Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle again for American TV.

In August Tim will be heading up to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival with other former Blue Peter presenters Peter Duncan, Mark Curry, Janet Ellis and Peter Purves to present - Once seen on Blue Peter makes, bakes and outtakes. As show which Tim himself has devised.

For tickets book here

Valerie Singleton OBE

During the early May Bank Holiday Weekend I attended a session at The Pilot Light TV Festival in Manchester. The Session was called Blue Peter's History of Everything. Also in attendance were former presenters Valerie Singleton, Peter Duncan and Tim Vincent along with Blue Peter's current editor Ewan Vinnicombe. I arrived quite early and so it was lovely to be able to to chat to Val, Tim and Ewan prior to the event. Peter arrived a little later. I was first introduced to Val and she was really interested in Project 161018 and Tim recognised me from my Twitter and Instagram posts.

With Ewan Vinnicombe, Valerie Singleton, Tim Vincent and Peter Duncan
at The Pilot Light TV Festival.

Valerie Singleton presented Blue Peter from September 1962 until July 1972, however she continued to make regular appearances until 1975 and presented the spin off series Blue Peter Special Assignments.

Before joining Blue Peter Val had trained at RADA, then in early 1962 she joined the BBC as an announcer. She auditioned for Blue Peter later the same year upon the suggestion of presenter Christopher Trace, however she was not offered the job at first. Then four months later when the position came up again Valerie was first choice. For the next two years Val continued with her continuity role and presented Blue Peter. When Blue Peter went to two programmes per week Val gave  up her announcers job. Her Parents were very worried at the time, but Blue Peter made Val a household name.

Val in her early Blue Peter Days

During her time on the programme Val demonstrated hundreds of Blue Peter Makes and told many historical stories, but she also had exciting adventures, taking a lion for a walk (which was on of the films shown at Blue Peter's History of Everything) she went water skiing and also had a lucky escape  when she was involved in a powerboat accident on The River Thames.

One of Valerie's most famous films was when she accompanied HRH Princes Anne on a Royal Safari to Kenya. It was the success of this film that led to the spin off series Blue Peter Special Assignments. While filming in Rome for the first series Val met His Holiness Pope Paul VI and he gave a direct address to the children of Britain.

With HRH Princess Anne in Kenya

Val features in Blue Peter Books 1 - 12 and she kindly signed my copy of book 1 with a congratulations on Project 161018.

After leaving Blue Peter Val continued to work for the BBC on the early evening programme Nationwide, The Money Programme and The PM Programme on BBC Radio Four. She also became a travel writer for several national publications.

Val was awarded the OBE in 1994 for her services to television and soon after appeared on Blue Peter when she was awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge.

Big Birthday Balloon

At the beginning of the year as part of the 60th birthday celebrations, Blue Peter launched a competition for its viewers to create a design that would be featured on a balloon. The design needed to fit into the existing galleon logo, and should be original, striking and celebrate Blue Peter.

Over 8,000 children entered the competition and on 12th April The Balloon was revealed live on the programme from the Piazza at Media City UK, featuring the winning design by Chloe from the 6 - 8 age group. Her design includes Blue Peter badges, Shelley the tortoise, Blue Peter makes and Lindsey and Radzi on Blue Peter challenges.

Prior to the official unveiling presenter Lindsey Russell had taken the balloon to Noway to take part in a a special  Birthday balloon challenge that will be shown on Blue Peter later in the year.

Joel Defries

Having said goodbye and thank you to Janet, I still had a few hours before catching the train home, so I headed back into central London. I was walking near the London Palladium when I noticed a young chap walking towards me with a beard and wearing a woolly hat. I instantly recognised him and what a bonus it was Joel Defries. I stopped him and explained what I was doing, he couldn't believe that I had spotted him and allowed me to take a couple of pictures but it was so cold my hands were shaking.

Joel presented Blue Peter from September 2008 until December 2010. Prior to joining Blue Peter Joel lived and worked in New Zealand for a time, presenting music shows both on radio and television.

During his two years on Blue Peter Joel had many adventures including deep sea diving, rowing across The English Channel, Abseiling, becoming The Manager of pop group The Saturdays for a day and helping to refurbish Blackpool Tower. Summer trips include Alaska and Turkey.

In 2009 an entire programme was devoted to his Jewish heritage (Joel's Journey) at the climax of the programme Joel visited Auschwitz were he met a Holocaust survivor who was returning to Auschwitz for the first time.

Also in 2009 Joel presented 26 editions of the children's game show Keep your enemies close, when contestants were forced to work with their rivals instead of their friends.

Joel features in Blue Peter Books 38,39 & 40.

Joel no longer works in television, so it was really great to see him and as I said previously a real bonus for Project 161018.