Blue Peter book number nine

The ninth Blue Peter book came out in 1972 and it's probably fair to say that John Noakes was in his prime as the quintessential Blue Peter presenter. Noakes went on to become the show's longest serving presenter reaching 12 years and six months on the good ship BP and in 1972 he was just over half way through his tenure.

But there was another reason why Noakes had the honour of being the only presenter to appear on the front cover of the annual BP book that year. Following the sad loss of his first BP dog, Patch in 1971, messrs. Baxter, Barnes and Gill decided to do what any indulgent parents would do to cheer up a youngster mourning the loss of his pet dog - they went straight off and bought t'lad another one, by gum!

Thus John was joined by his equally enthusiastic canine counterpart, Shep, on the front cover of the 9th Blue Peter book. A partnership which was to become the stuff of legend, the pair even making it as a twosome into Madame Tussaud's Waxworks - but that's another story.

The miracle of the front cover of book nine was undoubtedly how the photographer got either individual to pose long enough for this striking shot, let alone both at the same time! Shep looks like he is about to leap forward for a dog biscuit at any second with John being dragged along behind him shouting "whoa Shep! Come back lad!"

But Shep wasn't the only newcomer to Blue Peter in 1972 because that year Lesley Judd joined the team as presenter number seven. Lesley was a professional dancer who had previously worked for the BBC as a member of the dance group The Young Generation. She joined the BP team, making the numbers up to four presenters for the first time in its history, after Valerie Singleton started to diversify her television career. Judd's career on Blue Peter was only ever meant to be short term and she reportedly never had a contract for longer than three months, in reality she lasted for seven years and her partnership with Peter Purves and John Noakes was the show's longest running line-up. Apart from a feature about giant tortoises and a food make, Lesley Judd features minimally in the ninth Blue Peter book.

Burying the time capsule box - perhaps Peter's
shirt should have gone in there too!

One of the notable features in the ninth book was the burying of the Blue Peter time capsule box, a box containing items from the early 1970s with the words "Not to be opened before 2000" printed on the lid.

The box contained a copy of a Blue Peter book, a set of eight Blue Peter Mini books, photos of the presenters and the pets, a copy of the Radio Times, a piece of film from a programme, a spool of tape containing the signature tune, a set of decimal coins and a letter. The lead lined box was buried in a deep hole outside BBC Television Centre and a tree was planted close by. In the ninth BP book it says:

"We wonder who will write the first letter to arrive in the Blue Peter office telling whoever is presenting Blue Peter about the box?"

Shucks! I forgot!

The ninth book cost 55 pence and as usual was packed with fascinating features:

Features from the programmes:

Blue Peter box
The flying fusilier
Blue Peter expedition to Iceland
John visits Mount Etna
Peter explores London underground
Orphans in Nairobi
Val trains to pilot a plane
Wildlife with Grahame Dangerfield
John and Pete visit the Lapp people in the Arctic Circle
Introducing Shep
Karl Wallenda walks across a wire outside the BP studio
Lesley Judd looks at tortoises
Journey on a narrow boat

Lesley Judd joins the team 

Historic and other factual features:

Frost Fair - when the Thames froze over
Story of the liner, Queen Elizabeth with cut-away drawing
Valerie explores the story of the Brontes at Howarth
The story of Christmas in the Boer War
Story of Lord Nelson

Makes:

Valerie makes a Christmas tree
Val makes flower tubs
Lesley makes spudwiches
Val makes a door stop

Stories and fun items:

Bleep and Booster
Paddington bear
Mystery picture
Detective story - The Case of the Golden Buddha