Valerie Singleton to write autobiography
Feature by Lizzie Guilfoyle
AN autobiography by former presenter Valerie Singleton will mark next year’s 50th anniversary of Blue Peter, the evergreen children’s television show.
Singleton, who is now 70, co-hosted Blue Peter from 1962 until 1972, first with Christopher Trace and later, with John Noakes and Peter Purves.
Speaking about the project, she said:
“I have been asked many times over the years to write my autobiography and I resisted, basically because I’m lazy and I’ve forgotten quite a bit of stuff. But this major Blue Peter anniversary makes me believe that the time is right so I’m going to be brave , say ‘What the hell!’ and just sit down and type.”
And as she explained:
“Where I get stuck I will go back to old diaries, cuttings my dad kept, postcards sent to friends and whatever else. I will probably reveal a few things that might shock!”
The autobiography will almost certainly be a hit as Singleton is still greatly admired by Blue Peter fans. As she herself admitted:
“People still write to me to say how much they enjoyed watching and how the programme meant so much to them. It’s very heartening. It obviously gave people such pleasure. I do seem to have been important to quite a lot of people and it’s allowed me to do other things.”
Do you have memories of Blue Peter? If so, IndieLondon would love to hear about them.