History - enter the three headed monster

Biddy Baxter

Biddy Baxter was Editor of Blue Peter for over 25 years. She first joined the BBC in 1955, working on school programmes on radio before landing the job of Blue Peter Producer in 1962. Due to radio obligations Biddy was unable to start in post for several months and Edward Barnes therefore acted up alongside Leonard Chase until Biddy was ready to start in October 1962.

In Blue Peter 50th Anniversary Richard Marson describes the early days of the long Baxter / Barnes era:

"After an awkward and mutually suspicious beginning, the Baxter/Barnes partnership blossomed. She had an instinctive grasp of what children wanted; he had the skills to translate these instincts into good television. They learnt from each other and worked out their whole editorial policy in tandem. Biddy sensed that in Blue Peter they had "this marvellous canvas. We wanted to do something that was really going to bring viewers into the programme, to involve them and use their ideas".

During the early sixties, the new Blue Peter team was strong and determined enough to survive a ruthless reorganisation of children's television at the BBC and Biddy and Edward were joined by Rosemary Gill to make up a formibable alliance once described by Christopher Trace as "the three headed monster".

Amongst the developments of Blue Peter in the early to mid sixties under the stewardship of the three headed monster were:

• Greater prominence of 'the makes' led by Margaret Parnell
• More pets, appeals and competitions
• Petra arrives in December 1962, Fred (later discovered to be Freda) the tortoise in October 1963, Jason the Siamese cat in June 1964 and Patch, who was one of Petra's puppies born in September 1965  
• The launch of the Blue Peter badge in 1963 with a massive balloon release
• The design of the ship logo by Tony Hart in 1963
• A new and brighter studio
• Appearance of more Blue Peter experts such as George Cansdale, Mollie Badham and Grahame Dangerfield
• Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond became associated with Blue Peter
• Blue Peter went twice weekly
• Valerie Singleton joined Christopher Trace on 3 September 1962
• The first Blue Peter appeal took place in December 1962
• The first Blue Peter guide dog, Honey, was purchased as a result of the 1964 appeal 
• John Noakes joined as the third presenter on 30 December 1965