Biddy Baxter
I saw on the news that Biddy Baxter has sadly passed away. It was the first time I recall seeing what she looked like but I remember her name so vividly from the end credits of Blue Peter. There she was every week.
Blue Peter was essential TV for me as a kid like many of my generation. My Blue Peter team were the iconic threesome of Peter Purvis, John Noakes and Valerie Singleton, my first crush!
It's hard to describe how important the show was. Yes, there were other magazine type shows like Magpie but Blue Peter, during the late Sixties and early Seventies, had our ear. The presenters, the stories, the challenges, the antics, the charity mail-ins, the pets, the annuals and the badges made sure of that and Biddy Baxter was behind it all.
Like our beloved Gerry Anderson, Biddy Baxter's name will be forever associated with the golden age of kids TV.
RIP.
Was Blue Peter something you watched? Anyone get a Blue Peter badge?
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Ray Brooks
Ray Brooks, the veteran actor who gave voice to the popular kids TV character Mr. Benn has also sadly passed away.
Mr. Benn was a charming animated show in which Mr.Benn, if I recall rightly, whilst visiting a fancy dress shop changed his suit and dressed up as another character like a knight and then entered the life of that character.
Like a Westworld for kids and a cosplay herald, as a 9 year old I loved the show and Ray Brooks' calm voice. Did you?
RIP.
Very sad. Biddy Baxter was a name that we knew growing up, like as you say, Gerry Anderson and possibly Gene Roddenberry. Partly formed us I guess.
ReplyDeleteI liked Mister Benn. Ray Brooks was also in the second Cushing Doctor Who film.
Of course, Dr. Who, I knew I'd seen him as a young man somewhere before Kev. Very sad.
DeleteBiddy Baxter was a name I knew from the Blue Peter credits. I had one of the much coveted Blue Peter badges, which I got from a mail away. As I recall, it was fabric with a screen printed logo and overlocked thread edging. (Do any Moonbasers still have one?)
ReplyDeleteMy father used to hold coffee mornings in his house every Sunday, for his friends and associates. It was here that I met people like Peter Purvis, Drew Henley and Jacqueline Henley (Pierce) long before her Blake's Seven days!.
Those coffee mornings sound legendary Looey!
DeleteI never saw Mr. Benn but do have fond memories of Ray Brooks in TV's 'TAXI!' with Sid James and Bill Owen.
ReplyDeleteI loved Sid James. So funny!
DeleteUnlike the US show with the same name TAXI! in the UK was light drama rather than comedy, though it had humerous moments. Think Dixon of Dock Green with cabbies instead of coppers.
DeleteNever met Biddy Baxter, but did work on Blue Peter twice, during my time at the BBC, doing pyros on both occasions.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid, I watched it every week, and entered a painting competition in the mid 70s, in which I reached the top 50.
My picture was on set on the show, along with the other top 50, but did not appear on camera.
It did however get sent to Japan, and was on display at Expo '75 (I think) there.
I have 2 Blue Peter badges, one being acrylic, and the other a tin Competition Winner's badge (though I didn't actually win the competition),
Wow, how did you win the other BP badge Mish?
DeleteOh, and I once met legendary Blue Peter presenter Pete Purves, but that was in the bar at a Dr Who convention, at which we were both guests.
ReplyDeleteSuperb! What did you talk about Mish?
DeleteThe other BP badge was given to me when I worked on the show.
ReplyDeleteWhen I met Peter Purves we chatted about his time on Blue Peter, especially about what he called the 'dream team' of Val, John and him.
That's when he had the most fun on the show, I think.
Yep, that was the dream team for me too, the one I grew up with. Which team was it when you got your coveted badge?
DeleteNot sure about all of them, but I think the black female presenter Diane Louise Jordan was in the line up.
ReplyDelete