Blue Peter

Blue Peter is FAR more than a tv show. It's a national institution. I loved watching it as a child, as did my parents in the 1960s and my own kids now!! Has ANY other show been running for 46 years? I doubt it. We all have our favourite presenter, mine has to be "Uncle John" Noakes, with Val Singleton and her "sticky-back plastic" running a close second. We all knew she was talking about sellotape, but the BBC wasn't allowed to "endorse" :) it's been imitated by ITV many times (Magpie etc etc) but never equalled. What's YOUR favourite episode? Mine has to be the one where they had a baby elephant in the studio which refused to leave and then urinated all over the place. One of the main presenters in the 1980s was Caron Keating who died today, aged only 41. She was a lovely girl who still had so much to achieve. RIP.

This programme is a great institution and part of childhood for anyone growing up in the UK in the second half of the 20th century or the early 21st century. It is full of interesting items and coveys the message that nothing in life is dull or uninteresting. It is a programme that can be watched over the evening meal and it only lasts for 25 minutes. But what a knack they have of cramming a lot into 25 minutes. I think it's fair to say that many people will have visited places that have been featured on Blue Peter, both at home and abroad, and taken up activities that have been featured in the programme (such as free fall parachuting, but rather them than me). It also features practical advice on matters like dog care. Teaching kids cookery is another good aspect of the programme. But the makes! They are so cheesy. I mean, who ever made anything useful that was featured on Blue Peter. Aren't you better buying something at the shops rather than making it out of Fairy Liquid bottles and sticky back plastic. And making a model of the Blue Peter studio? This is the aspect of the show that the comedians always pounce on. But the show has a good sense of humour. John Noakes first introduced humour to the show. He was a good counter to the rather stuffy Christopher Trace who acted and looked middle-aged even though he was only in his 20s. Featuring Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean and Catherine Tate as her Lauren character have been good ideas in more recent times. Presenters seem to have got younger and this is not entirely like policemen getting younger. In the 70s presenters were older and John Noakes was still presenting the show in his 40s. Today presenters tend to be mid to late 20s which is I think a bit more kid friendly. A great programme and more educational daytime TV than Richard and Judy (and the competition questions are harder than those on Richard and Judy)

It may be stuffed away on a Freeview channel these days but lets not forget the fact that 'Blue Peter' is an institution of British TV, and an iconic kids show, having been launched way back in 1958.

It deserves all the plaudits, it really does. No other show has really been able to be a voice for young people for as long, and with such respect and honesty.

I think it's a crying shame that it's buried away on one of the Freeview channels rather than on BBC1 where it belongs to be. I hope it continues to at least remain on TV for as long as possible. There surely would be outcry if it wasn't.

Blue Peter is a British institution. EVERYONE has been brought up on it's mix of sticky back plastic, papier-mache, toilet rolls and pipe cleaners. Everyone has tried to make things that come out as the presenters "here's one I made earlier" efforts. (Cheating presenters). They also get the large sections of the British children population to raise large amounts of money each year. It's simply unique. And uniquely British.

I can't really give a rating for a programme that's ran for 54 years and had over thirty presenters.

For me, the best era was 1999-2004, particularly the early 2000s. Simon, Matt, Konnie and Liz were the ultimate presenting team and we had things like The Quest and the Blue Peter Christmas Show, which were either pantos or spoofs (for example, Christmas at The Club Blue Peter, that one set in the fifties and that one set in the eighties).

It's gone downhill now and I can see the BBC hovering over it with an axe but many children and adults have grown up with Blue Peter and I will always remember it fondly.