Blue Peter Part III - Specials and Badges

Yes, you do have to pinch yourself that I am writing this in 2019 not typewriting it and attaching to a big folder as I would of done in the 1970's and 80's when we didn't have computers but had a manual typewriter but this is about....

Blue Peter, my favourite all time show that I still watch on Thursdays and that is that!

Going way back in time when I first started watching it, it was groundbreaking  for a lot of things not least a one off special where then presenter Valerie Singleton, went on safari with no less than HRH The Princess Anne who as a young boy I was also aware of to Kenya where the Save The Children Fund which she was patron of were doing work with orphaned children.

The program originally went out on Easter Sunday April 11th 1971 as a one off having been filmed in February and created quite a stir but was reshown on Monday June 7th after the regular show.

The Radio Times page for that re-run is shown above.

Her Highness was widely praised her understanding of the issues and observations at the same time the show itself revealed a serious side, showing how children in less fortunate places lived and what could be done to help.

Later on that year a mini all colour book was issued that chronicled the visit and obvious friendship between Valerie and Princess Anne and that is my original copy

It was that edition that was the start point of Valerie's move into being a roving reporter for the Special Assignments series as Lesley Judd joined Blue Peter in 1972, a way of maintaining a connection with the shows audience while looking more at people and places around the world.

The show is also know for its iconic badges that children (and sometimes adults) earn that were introduced in 1963 based on a design by the late Tony Hart.

This is a black backed genuine one of mine from 2012 with the pin set in plastic to avoid any holes in little people occurring followed by tears whereas in my day it was said "It'll learn him to be more careful"!

Every so often a special badge is issued usually for marking a period of being on the air and this genuine one of mine comes from 2008  and is the 50th Anniversary Gold one only available that year. 

I do deliberate use the phrase Genuine One because there are a good number of what at best can be called replicas and at worst fakes around cheaply cast which detracts from the very notion these badges were never bought for fringe benefits but were earned by children (and a few adults) for genuine effort, abilities and endeavours.