This week we go back to the past with the reported death Monday that Joan "Biddy" Baxter (pictured centre) the producer for some twenty-six years until the end of 1988 of Blue Peter had died aged 92 years.
Blue Peter is a U.K. institution, a magazine style show of around a half hour length on the BBC that began as a breath experiment and to which it is fair to say Biddy coming in secured its feature and set the standards that are still there.
Often criticized by left-liberal types as too middle class, stuffy and more compared to shows that tried to compete such as Magpie nonetheless it proved popular not least for that the ideas were drawn mainly from what its audience wanted, writing in, competitions you could join in winning a prize and that a badge system that a reward for interests and new activities that some evidence was needed was set up by her and expanded to cover Green topics and music.
No question of write in, maybe hand over a payment and get anything, you jolly well had to work for it but then it was about inspiring children and rewarding so that makes sense.
Another thing was Animals. Aware some could never have access to a pet, the show had pets you could follow, taking an interest in and wildlife was shown too and visits to places too.
Presenters had to be on top of their scripts because she believed children deserved the best show they could have and perhaps her biggest fault was she was strict over that that could be overbearing.
A show that remains the longest running children's tv show in the World, a shining example of what she achieved and was as a child I loved the show.
R.I.P. Biddy.
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