John Noakes’s death ‘a release from dementia’
The family of John Noakes, who has died aged 83, has urged his fans to remember him for his “escapades”, saying his release from Alzheimer’s must be “counted as a blessing”. Noakes, the former Blue Peter presenter, had been suffering from the disease for several years.
THE family of John Noakes, who has died aged 83, have urged his fans to remember him for his “escapades”, saying his release from Alzheimer’s must be “counted as a blessing”.
Noakes, the former Blue Peter presenter, had been suffering from the disease for several years, and had been enduring “continuing ill health”.
Announcing his death yesterday, his family said they would like him to be remembered from his Blue Peter heyday, and with his “faithful companion” Shep. A friend said he was “in a better place now”.
Noakes’s illness became public in 2015 when his wife Vicky raised the alarm after he went missing for more than eight hours near his home in Majorca. He was discovered in a storm drain after being spotted by police helicopter.
He returned to the UK to be cared for as his Alzheimer’s progressed.
His friend and spokesman, Wendy Downes, released a statement from his family that said: “He had endured and suffered from Alzheimer’s over recent years and whilst he will be greatly missed by his wife, family and many friends, his release from continuing ill health must be counted as a blessing.
“His many escapades with his faithful companion Shep, during his time with Blue Peter, will live on in many people’s memories and that is how his family would like him remembered.” Tributes were issued by his peers, including a host of Blue Peter presenters who recalled his all-action contributions to children’s television.
The Yorkshire-born star was the show’s longest-serving presenter, working on Blue Peter for 12 and a half years in the Sixties and Seventies and on some of its best-loved moments. Peter Purves, who copresented Blue Peter with Noakes, told the BBC: “I knew about it yesterday. Very sad, very sad indeed. “But I think, as his family have said, it really is a blessing. He was suffering badly from Alzheimer’s in recent years, and in the very recent years it got extremely serious.”
He described Noakes as “unique”, and said a former Blue Peter editor called him “the best presenter ever”.
Purves said: “He had qualities that no one else had and he will be remembered very fondly by a lot of people and none more so than me.”
He added: “He was a happy-go-lucky guy in many ways. He was actually quite serious as well, and very, very shy. We had so many laughs and so much fun together over the years. I mean hundreds and hundreds of happy memories. I’ll never forget him. He was a good friend.”
Purves said Noakes would like to be remembered as “the daredevil on Blue Peter”.
Other ex-presenters also mourned his passing. Janet Ellis said: “The best, bravest, funniest BP presenter. If we didn’t walk in John Noakes’s shadow it’s because he shone the light for us. RIP.” Konnie Huq proclaimed him the “best Blue Peter presenter ever”, while Anthea Turner hailed him a “Blue Peter favourite”, and Zöe Salmon, who presented the show between 2004 and 2008, tweeted: “I am deeply saddened to hear about John Noakes, a Blue Peter legend who will live on in our hearts. Privileged to have met him.”
Katy Hill said: “Saddest news about… John Noakes who inspired me to want to present Blue Peter.”
Lord Hall, the BBC’S director-general, said: “John Noakes was one of the BBC’S most-loved children’s presenters. He was a warm and engaging presenter who appealed to all ages and provided children’s TV with some of its most memorable moments.”
Children’s television in the Sixties was thin gruel, which was probably why far more time was spent outdoors playing with friends. But there was always an early evening offering during the week, and foremost among these was Blue Peter.
For those of a certain age, the death of its presenter John Noakes will be felt with a particular poignancy and a pang of nostalgia for more innocent times. Noakes, accompanied for years by his dog Shep, was the daredevil of the Blue
Peter trio, often seen parachute jumping or scaling some vertiginous rock face. His tussle with an incontinent baby elephant as it demolished the studio was priceless. He deserved better than the misery of his final illness and will be fondly remembered by an entire generation.