Former Blue Peter presenters Matt Baker and Anthea Turner discuss 5,000th episode

Blue Peter presentersGETTY

Blue Peter has had a special place in British television for decades

The names trip off the tongue and need no explanation for the generations of families who have grown up watching Blue Peter.

As the longest-running children’s television show in the world, it has provided the backdrop to the nation’s childhoods for nearly 60 years and most adults today can fondly name the presenters from their youth.

From the original line-up of Christopher Trace and Leila Williams, to the popular 1960s team featuring Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves and John Noakes, to stars of the 90s and the modern era – including Anthea Turner, Matt Baker, Gethin Jones and Konnie Huq – everyone has their own favourites, and it’s no surprise that Blue Peter was recently named the greatest British children’s programme of all time.

Now the show is about to celebrate another landmark with a special edition of Blue Peter on February 1 marking its 5,000th episode and launching a new Diamond Badge – the highest honour fans and viewers can be awarded throughout the 60th birthday year.

Blue Peter first aired on October 16 1958 and during the early 1960s many of the iconic features that we know and love today were introduced.

Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves and John NoakesGETTY

The team of Valerie Singleton, Peter Purves and John Noakes were arguably one of the most popular

I loved making things, but Tracy Island was the most difficult make ever on Blue Peter

Anthea Turner


The first appeal took place in 1962; the show’s first dog, Petra, arrived the same year, and in 1963 the Blue Peter badge was introduced by Biddy Baxter, who two years later became the show’s long-running Editor.

The summer expeditions followed soon after, plus the famous Blue Peter “makes” – which involved creating something fairly elaborate out of household items.

The One Show’s Matt Baker, a Blue Peter presenter from 1999-2006, believes that such variety was key to the show’s success.

“The show has everything a child needs,” says Matt, 40.

“There are expeditions, escapism, friendship, and you always learn something – it’s crammed packed with facts – and there are so many morals within it. And parents are happy for their children to watch something they grew up with – there aren’t many shows left where you can have that bit of magic where your child can experience what you experienced as a child.”

Anthea Turner, who hosted the show from 1992-94, quickly became deft at craft-making, and after newspapers reported a shortage of Thunderbirds Tracy Island models in the shops one Christmas, she famously set about creating one on Blue Peter.

So overwhelmed were the BBC by requests for copies of the instructions that after 100,000 requests they withdrew their offer to send them out.

“I loved making things, but Tracy Island was the most difficult make ever on Blue Peter, so I practised and practised beforehand,” says Anthea, 57.

“We had 13 minutes and it involved chicken wire, loo rolls, Philadelphia cheese pots, a yoghurt carton, a lot of foil, pipe cleaners and sponges.”

Anthea and Matt took on their fair share of physical challenges, but nothing could match the exploits of Helen Skelton (2008-13), who kayaked the entire 2,010-mile length of the Amazon, achieving two Guinness World Records in the process.

Anthea TurnerGETTY

Anthea Turner became famous for solving the Tracy Island shortage

She also walked a tightrope between Battersea Power Station’s two chimneys and became the first person to reach the South Pole using a bicycle.

The daredevil tradition began when John Noakes, the show’s longest-serving presenter, set a record in 1973 for the longest free-fall parachute jump by a British civilian with a five-mile jump.

And in 1977 Noakes scaled Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square with no harness.

“I always remember him doing that and cleaning off all the pigeon poo,” recalls Anthea.

“He literally climbed up a ladder with a little bit of a rope, which probably wouldn’t have saved him. We tried to re-enact that, because I quite like heights, but we couldn’t get permission.”

Time capsules have always been an important part of the show and Matt remembers being charged with the important task of digging up the original 1971 capsule when the show celebrated the Millennium.

“Val, John and Pete planted it and they came back to open it,” says Matt.

“I had a Blue Peter map and got there really early that morning and I dug literally the whole back of the Blue Peter garden until my spade finally struck something! It was brilliant, but it was so soggy and everything was in bits when we opened it.”

The show always aired live, which meant accidents could not be edited out. The most famous happened in 1969 when Lulu the baby elephant relieved herself on the studio floor, stood on John Noakes’ foot and dragged her keeper along the floor.

Lulu the elephantGETTY

Lulu the elephant tested Blue Peter’s live nature by pooing live on stage

In its heyday, eight million viewers tuned in twice a week, with more than half the audience adults.

These days Blue Peter goes out on CBBC rather than BBC1, and the distractions of multiple TV channels and computers means the show can’t attract the same audiences.

Yet it is still going, with current hosts Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya, a testament to the show’s unique appeal and its place in British television history.

“It’s an iconic show and I’m blessed to have been part of it,” says Anthea.