Blue Peter legend dies aged 92
Biddy Baxter, the long-serving editor of Blue Peter, has died aged 92.
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The Leicester-born producer is credited with turning the children's show into a television institution over the course of more than two decades.
She was editor of the programme between 1965 and 1988 and introduced iconic ideas such as the famous Blue Peter badge.
Other elements such as location filming was introduced, with more pet appearances and appeals to collect old toys and silver paper for good causes.
Baxter won two Bafta awards and received 12 nominations while at the helm of the show.
She was awarded the programme’s highest honour, a gold Blue Peter badge, when she left in 1988.
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Baxter carried on as a consultant to the BBC directors general John Birt and Michael Checkland following her departure.
In 2013, she received the special award at the Bafta children’s awards.
She was made an MBE in 1981 and in 2023 founded a trust that helped talented music scholars study postgraduate degrees.
“I didn’t want to do anything other than Blue Peter,” she told The Guardian in an interview.
“I certainly never wanted to be an administrator or in charge of anything.“It was an absolute dream and I never wanted to do anything else.
“It was a terrific time to be in television.”