My Friend John

Peter Purves on what made his Blue Peter co-presenter John Noakes a TV legend.

- Ian MacEwan

NEW FACTUAL

John Noakes:TV Hero

SATURDAY / BBC2 / 5.30PM

The longest-serving presenter of Blue Peter, John Noakes, became a household name in the late-1960s.

First appearing on the famous children’s show in 1965, the intrepid Yorkshireman became known for his daredevil stunts (such as scaling Nelson’s Column without a safety harness in 1977), his close bond with Blue Peter dog Shep, and the comic unpredictability he brought to whatever he did on the screen.

So anyone who grew up watching John on Blue Peter and Go with Noakes would have been affected by the sad news, back in May, that John had died in Majorca, aged 83, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

This week, in a one-off BBC2 documentary, some of those who knew John best, including his Blue Peter colleague and friend Peter Purves, pay tribute to him.