Presenter Profile - Valerie Singleton

Consumate professional Val - with the boys

Valerie Singleton joined the Blue Peter team on 3rd September 1972. Her last regular appearance was on 3rd July 1972. She was the show's third female presenter after Leila Williams (1958-1962) and Anita West (May to September 1962).

Singleton co-presented Blue Peter with Christopher Trace until his departure in July 1967. They were joined by John Noakes in 1965. After the departure of Trace, Singleton and Noakes were joined by Peter Purves on 16th November 1967.

The team of Singleton, Noakes and Purves are perhaps the most remembered trio to have presented Blue Peter and certainly the most iconic, setting a bar which all subsequent presenters would have to aim for ...most failing.

Born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire s in 1937, Valerie was educated at Tring Park Arts Educational School and wanted to be a dancer. After a two year stint at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and a short acting career, she went to work for the BBC in 1961 and joined the Blue Peter team a year later.

Described by many as the consumate professional presenter, one former Blue Peter editor, Richard Marson, said of her:

"It was often said that if a bomb dropped on the Blue Peter studio, Valerie Singleton would simply have stepped out of the rubble and carried on presenting. If Noakes was the quintessential male presenter, Val was without doubt his female counterpart. Her serious approach, her superb skill with the makes and her beautifully modulated voice were the perfect contrast to his anarchy. Viewers trusted that Val was in complete control, which meant that they could relax."

Ref: Blue Peter 50th Anniversary - A personal account by Richard Marson / Hamlyn 2008      

One of the pinnacles of Singleton's time on Blue Peter was when she accompanied HRH During her time on Blue Peter, Singleton accompanied HRH Princess Anne on her first solo trip overseas in a Kenyan Royal Safari in 1971.

In 1972 she left Blue Peter but went on to present a spin-off series created by Edward Barnes, Blue Peter Special Assignments and Val Meets the VIPs. 

She became a news presenter on the BBC's Nationwide programme. She has also presented the BBC's late night news programme, Tonight and hosted many other shows including Radio 4's PM and BBC 2's The Money Programme.

Singleton was awarded the OBE for her services to children's television in 1994 and was also invited back to Blue Peter that same year to receive the coveted Blue Peter gold badge.

Find out more about Valerie Singleton at Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Singleton