Matt heads up the Entertainment team at HuffPost UK. He has previously worked at Capital Radio, Smash Hits, AOL and Sky. He loves most TV, especially anything by Ryan Murphy. There’s also nothing he doesn’t know about Kylie Minogue.
Whether you’ve collected foil for one of their appeals, used sticky-back plastic to create your very own Tracy island or bagged yourself a highly coveted badge,As the world’s longest running children’s TV show celebrates 65 years on the box, here are 60 facts about the BBC’s inspirational show.1. Blue Peter first aired on 16 October 1958 and transmitted for 15 minutes.
10. Peter Duncan is the only presenter to do two stints on the show. He became a Gold badge holder after he was made Chief Scout in February 2007.11. Yvette Fielding was the youngest-ever presenter. She was 18 when she joined the series. HRH Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, were guest on the show in 2017.17. In 2018, it was estimated that the programme had awarded over a million badges. In 2023, the BBC said that more than 265,000 children aged five to 15 own at least one Blue Peter badge.
22. George the tortoise is the longest-serving pet. He made his first appearance in 1982. When he died in 2004 he was around 81 years old. 29. In recent years, Blue Peter has supported Sport Relief. In 2010, Helen Skelton kayaked 2010 miles down the Amazon river for Sport Relief, achieving two Guinness World Records and in 2012, she completed a 500-mile trek to the south pole on skis, kite skis and an ice bike for the charity. In 2016, Lindsey Russell became ‘The Wave Runner’ as she attempted to cross the Irish Sea three metre inflatable ball.
Blue Peter presenters Helen Skelton and Barney Harwood, with Barney the Dog after The Princess Royal opened the Blue Peter Garden at its new home at Media City Manchester.38. The Blue Peter Garden at Television Centre was vandalised three times - in 1978, 1980 and 1983 - before security cameras were eventually fitted. The garden, in its new home in Salford, was opened in February 2012 by HRH Princess Anne.
43. A competition to design a frock for presenter Caron Keating solicited responses from 69,928 debut dressmakers. In 1981 a competition to design a Christmas stamp generated 74,000 responses, and a contest to design a character for Aardman Animations in 2006 attracted 47,268 budding Nick Parks.44.
- 33 years too soon! It toured around the UK before being safely stored in The National Archives until 2050. The 2018 Diamond Time Capsule will also be stored in The National Archives until Blue Peter’s 80th birthday in 2038.Richard Bacon and Katy Hill pictured in 1998 with the time capsule that got dug up 33 years too early.48. Blue Peter is the longest-running children’s TV series in the world and the programme and its presenters have earned themselves countless records.
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