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.

A Blue Peter Christmas

A Blue Peter Christmas is full of traditions, from the lighting of the advent crown, which no a days has battery powered candles to The Salvation Army Band playing a Christmas Carol around the Christmas Tree.

The 2017 huge Advent Crown with battery powered candles.

The Blue Peter Christmas special is one of the highlights of the Blue Peter calendar and has mainly followed the same format for the past 60 years.

A clip from The Funny Side of Christmas broadcast in 2010

In the run up to Christmas, the Christmas appeal would feature heavily in the programme, which over the past few years has tied in with BBC Children in Need. Various Christmas makes would be demonstrated. Then with four programmes to go, the first candle on the advent crown would be lit, with one candle being lit on each of the four programmes leading up to Christmas.

The Christmas special normally starts by showing a selection of cards sent in by the programmes viewers. Then another long running tradition The Nativity scene would be set up.

The famous Blue Peter Nativity Scene, shown here at The 50th Anniversary Exhibition in Bradford in 2008

Christmas entertainment by the presenters would also often feature and this would take the form of a short Pantomime or a spectacular song and dance number. Occasionally the Christmas entertainment has been a stand alone programme prior to the Christmas special (Christmas at the Club Blue Peter and Totally Blue Peter)

Simon Thomas, Konnie Huq, Matt Baker and Liz Barker
star in Christmas at The Club Blue Peter 2002

The Christmas special always comes to a close with a carol around the Christmas Tree lead in by a band from The Salvation Army and a huge choir of School Children. A special moment as former presenter Valerie Singleton Says.

Merry Christmas to all.

The Full Blue Peter Christmas Special from 1987

Gold Badge Walkway

Yesterday we headed over to Salford to visit The Gold Badge Walkway at Media City Uk.
The walkway has been installed as part of Blue Peter's 60th Birthday celebrations and links the studios at Media City to the iconic Blue Peter Garden. It celebrates some of the many famous faces that have been awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge.
44 giant Gold badges have been set into the pathway and engraved with the names of the famous badge winners.

Amongst the well known names are those of former presenters Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and Peter Purves, along with Biddy Baxter who edited Blue Peter for 23 years and Percy Thrower the first Blue Peter Gardener.

Here is the full list of badge winners honoured on the walkway

Her Majestry The Queen
David Attenborough
Steve Backshall
Gary Barlow
Biddy Baxter
David Beckham
Mary Berry
Malorie Blackman
Quentin Blake
Usain Bolt
Michael Bond
Cressida Cowell
Roald Dahl
Tom Daley
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Tanni Grey-Thompson
Lewis Hamilton
Dani Harmer
Kelly Holmes
Antony Horowitz
Chris Hoy
Elton John
Jade Jones
John Lasseter
Chris Martin
Michael Morpurgo
John Noakes
Nick Park
Tim Peake
Peter Purves
Chris Riddle
Wayne Rooney
JK Rowling
Ellie Simmonds
Francesca Simon
Valerie Singleton
Steven Spielberg
Sarah Storey
Percy Thrower
Beth Tweddle
David Walliams
Bradley Wiggins
Jacqueline Wilson
Barbara Windsor

Blue Peter and Guide Dogs

Blue Peter first became involved with The Guide Dogs for the blind association in 1964. The target for that years Christmas appeal was for 3 tons of silver paper and foil, enough to buy one guide dog. The result was 7 and half tons of silver paper and foil, enough to by two guide dogs (Honey and Cindy) with some money left over to help maintain a third dog.

Blue Peter's presenters at the time Christopher Trace and Valerie Singleton became Puppy walkers for one of the dogs, and so Honey's training was shown over the following months on the programme. After a year with Chris and Val, Honey went on to her advanced training on 6th February 1966 and for the next four months Honey was taught everything she needed to be an excellent guide dog. In the final month of training, Honey was introduced to her new owner. The owner and dog must learn to trust each other. This can be difficult, but gradually the pair began to work together. It was a proud day for Blue Peter when Honey led her owner through the gates of the training centre.

Honey Blue Peter's first Guide Dog

 In 1974 The 3B's appeal was launched to once again raise funds for Guide Dogs. 3B's stood for buttons, buckles and badges. The target two million envelopes of the 3B's to buy one guide dog, and a block of kennels for a new guide dog training centre. The result was six million envelops of the 3B's, enough for 11 guide dogs, a kennel block and extensions to several other training centres. Also an automatic drinking system for one centre and an incubator for another. Again one of the puppies was chosen to be puppy walked on the programmes, this time it was Peter Purves with Cindy.

In 1978 Simon Groom joined the presenting team, and with him came a new Blue Peter Pet, Goldie the Golden Retriever. Goldie had two litters of puppies during her time of the show. Goldie's first litter were born on 16th March 1981. The puppies were named by the viewers of the programme, Sandy, Buster, Henry, Prince and Lady. Lady went to live with Simon's parents on their farm in Dethick. The other 4 puppies were donated to Guide Dogs for the blind. Blue Peter again decided to follow the progress of one of the puppies, so Presenter Peter Duncan became puppy walker for Prince.

Simon Groom with Goldie.
Goldie gave birth to two litters of Guide Dog puppies.

Goldie's second litter were born on 3rd February 1986. This time she had 8 puppies, again all named by Blue Peter's audience, 66,368 people sent in name suggestions and the most popular were given to the puppies. Halley, Bonzo, Honey, Fergie, Snowy, Amber, Bonnie and Bruno. This time it was decided to keep Bonnie as the new Blue Peter pet, the other 7 went on to be trained as guide dogs.

On 16th January 1991, Bonnie gave birth to a litter of puppies, Major, Margot, Biddy, Lily, Teddy, and Honey. This time all the pups went to be trained as guide dogs. Honey (also the name of the programmes first guide dog) was chosen as the puppy who's progress would be followed on the programme and presenter John Leslie became her puppy walker.

Lindsey and Iggy go Christmas Shopping, during Puppy walking training.

Since then Blue Peter has followed the progress of 2 other puppies. In 2006 Magic was puppy walked with Andy Akinwolere. Sadly Magic had epilepsy and was not able to complete her training, so was re homed. The most recent Blue Peter guide dog is Iggy. Iggy joined the programme in June 2014, and her progress was followed by current presenter Lindsey Russell. In February 2016 Iggy was introduced to her new owner Callum and is making a huge difference to the young mans life.