PETER AS KIDS’ SHOW TURNS 60
There have been four time capsules buried in 1971, 1984, 2000 and 1998 – which was accidentally dug up by builders in 2017, 33 years early.
Blue Peter has earned countless Guinness World records. John Noakes’ long fall parachute jump is the longest delayed drop by a civilian while Janet Ellis holds the European record for a woman.
It has won two Baftas, a National Television Award, an RTS Award, RTS North West Awards and the Sandford St Martin’s Special Award.
If you watched every episode, back to back with no breaks, it would take around three months.
Presenter Simon Thomas made his first official appearance in January 1999 but had a cameo as Father Christmas two weeks before. The in-joke was repeated with Gethin Jones, who appeared as Santa four months before joining in April 2005.
When Janet Ellis joined, she was mum to a little girl, Sophie. Over the next four years, Sophie appeared several times and grew up to become singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor. When she first performed on the show her mum made a surprise appearance.
The first colour edition was transmitted in September 1970 – but it wasn’t the end of black and white. That came in June 1974.
On June 8, 1989, Blue Peter’s first outside broadcast transmitted from Carrickfergus Castle in Northern Ireland. Others have including Buckingham Palace, Warwick Castle and the Olympic Velodrome.
The famous episode in which Lulu the elephant disgraced herself wasn’t live but pre-recorded. If it had been live the mayhem would have overrun into the news.
Over 192,000 children (aged 6-15) have at least one Blue Peter badge.
There were no celebrations to mark the 10th birthday but for the 20th anniversary in 1978 all the presenters returned except for John Noakes, who sent a filmed message.
For its third decade, a giant electronic message board in London’s Leicester Square flashed the words Blue Peter – 30 Years on the crest of the air.
As it turned 40, Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and Peter Purves were reunited for the first time in 27 years to introduce Blue Peter Night on BBC2.
And for its 50th birthday The Queen invited presenters past and present to a birthday tea at Buckingham Palace.