Sweet Sixteen - The 16th Book of Blue Peter

Having been omitted from the front cover of Book 15, Simon Groom became only the second Blue Peter presenter (Noakes enjoyed the accolade twice) to have the front cover all to himself, excepting of course his co-star, Goldie the new BP dog. 1979 had been a year of big change for the programme's team of presenters. Whilst the 1960's had been dominated by Christopher Trace, Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and a late appearance by Peter Purves, the 1970's saw a whole decade of Noakes and Purves with Lesley Judd replacing Valerie Singleton between 1972 and 1979.

With only brief appearances in the spotlight for Leila Williams and Anita West in a three year period between 1958 and 1962, Simon Groom became only the 8th presenter in a 20 year period and only the 6th with comparable longevity to Noakes, Purves, et al.

For those of us who had literally grown up watching the programme at 5 to 5 every Monday and Thursday early evening on black & white television sets (partly because we only had the choice of three flickering channels) this had become a very permanent part of our childhoods. Changes to the presenting team, let alone to the pets, was going to be a challenge and as symbolic a change as was watching the miracle of colour tv in your own living room. But a whole new generation of children were on the ascendancy, giving Groom and Goldie the front cover billing was therefore a strong statement, especially given the expectations on this humble farmer's lad from Dethick.  

 

World famous for 15 minutes - Blue Peter Book 15

A very flamboyant cover for Blue Peter book number 15, devised and written by Biddy Baxter, Edward Barnes and John Adcock. Published ahead of Christmas 1978, the cover featured the trusted team of John, Lesley and Peter, in high-flying trapeze outfits and achieving much more than a mere 15 minutes of world fame (to quote Andy Warhol). If anyone was earning a mere 15 minutes of fame it was new presenter Simon Groom who was only worthy of a name-check at the start of the book, a two page biography titled "How I Joined Blue Peter" and an introduction to Goldie.

Clearly Groom was yet to fully make his mark in 1978, unlike the enduring hero Noakes, voted favorite Children's Television Personality of the Year by viewers of Multicoloured Swap Shop (banned from voting for Noel?), climbing to the top plinth of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, receiving the honour of a wax model at Madame Tussaud's and performing in the Engardine 42 kilometre Swiss ski marathon. To name just a few of his high points in 1978 (literally).

Peter Purves wasn't without his own heroics this year, attending knight school (BP's clever pun) where he rode into battle on a fine steed with the unfortunate name of Pedro and also learnt the Flying Trapeze at Billy Smart's Circus alongside Lesley Judd.

Another momentous day for Purves was on 23 March 1978, not just his last day as a regular Blue Peter presenter, but the day that a large bronze statue of Petra (R.I.P) was uncovered at the front gates of BBC Television Centre. Petra (1962-1977) had died in the previous year and the BBC commissioned regular guest artist Tim to model the dog's head in bronze, erecting it on a block of blue pennant stone from Gelli in South Wales. A truly poignant moment for Peter who had long been identified as Petra's best friend.

By 1978, Lesley Judd was at her peak, evidenced by her central position on the front cover, a rose between two thorns perhaps. Queen of the costume-based history recreations, as well as both the makes and the shakes, the ex-Pans Person was giving Magpie a run for their buck by interviewing ABBA and Showaddywaddy.

Whilst book 15 kept true to its tried-and-tested format with features on science, history and current affairs, competitions,cartoons and stories, the departure of both Peter Purves and John Noakes in 1978, followed by the arrival of Simon Groom and two more new presenters in 1979, Tina Heath and Christopher Wenner, not forgetting a clutch of new pets, all was about to change... utterly. 

Drum roll please....