817:
25:
370:
in 1963 to encourage children to send in programme ideas, pictures, letters and stories and also she introduced the now famous annual appeals. She was awarded a gold badge herself when she retired as editor from the programme. Having been disappointed as a child to receive the same reply twice to
323:
At a meeting with the careers officer at her university, Baxter noticed information about working for the BBC. "It wasn't that I was being snotty about secretarial work or teaching, I just didn't want to do either of them," she said in 2013 of the options offered to her on this occasion. "This
363:, later head of BBC children's television, who developed the format into a successful programme, initially on a budget of only £180 per edition. When they were first introduced, Barnes was told: "You'll have to look after Biddy – she doesn't know very much", to his considerable irritation.
324:
particular teaching officer seemed to me – though maybe I was being unduly sensitive – to have this blind spot about women. All the men were going off to do these amazing things. I really should be grateful to him".
394:
has also said: "the programme succeeded – and I've said this many times – because of her, not in spite of her. She absolutely ruled it; I didn't always agree with her views, but she was right."
1093:
398:
claimed that Baxter bullied her repeatedly until she decided to resign in 1988 after her first year of presenting, although she was convinced to stay and Baxter retired later that year.
934:
1206:
1056:
1196:
1019:
866:
1052:
862:
53:
33:
1211:
434:
271:
148:
1103:
740:
337:
in 1961. After moving to a temporary post in 1962 within BBC Television owing to a staff shortage, she gained a permanent post as producer of
1201:
617:
360:
474:
379:
viewers could receive more personal responses. Baxter became programme editor in April 1965 following a reorganisation, while Barnes and
444:
308:. Her father was a teacher, who later became the director of a sportswear company, and her mother was a pianist. She was educated at
1216:
1151:
456:
126:
1044:
331:
degree, Baxter joined the BBC as a studio manager in 1955, becoming a producer of schools' English programmes in 1958, and of
274:(born 25 May 1933) is a British television producer, best known for editing the long-running BBC TV children's magazine show
1160:
The Mark Lawson
Interview, repeatedly broadcast on BBC 4 throughout May 2007 as part of the 'Children's Television' season.
917:
107:
79:
57:
49:
313:
206:
854:
418:. After returning from Hong Kong in 1993, Baxter continued to work for the BBC, as a consultant to directors-general
38:
86:
42:
685:
552:
309:
196:
661:
452:
889:
834:
582:
341:
from
November 1962, and remained directly responsible for the programme for just over a quarter of a century.
93:
761:
577:
280:
from 1962 to 1988. As editor of the programme, Baxter devised much of the format that is still used today.
1191:
1167:
547:
75:
562:
529:
430:
423:
1186:
1006:
609:
587:
514:
460:
508:
216:
960:
414:, who had been a BBC Schools music producer and was a music educator, had accepted a job offer in
991:
524:
333:
986:
802:
567:
64:
1147:
722:
714:
670:
623:
613:
470:
was being run and said that she believed that the BBC was trying to close the programme down.
448:
419:
415:
387:
356:
317:
602:
519:
367:
1098:
726:
572:
395:
100:
946:
935:"Peter Purves, Valerie Singleton and John Noakes will host 50th anniversary Blue Peter"
557:
482:
328:
298:
1180:
704:
604:
Dear Blue Peter: The best letters sent in to
Britain's favourite children's programme
533:
491:
in 2013: "Somehow she was overlooked. If anyone deserves to be recognised she does …
380:
473:
In
November 2013, Baxter was announced as the recipient of the Special Award at the
1171:
1163:
1078:
789:
538:
487:
391:
503:
411:
383:
became producers when the programme began to be broadcast twice a week in 1964.
372:
242:
481:, former head of BBC Children's Television, on receiving the award. Home told
439:
410:
Her final programme in the role of editor aired on 27 June 1988. Her husband,
303:
276:
228:
718:
674:
627:
1117:
1079:"Biddy Baxter and Jeremy Vine awarded honorary degrees by Durham University"
709:
478:
294:
176:
804:
The
History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: Volume V: Competition
699:
697:
695:
762:"Blue Peter's Biddy Baxter: 'I never wanted to do anything else'"
466:
In
September 2008, Baxter expressed dissatisfaction with the way
707:(30 August 2008). Morgan, Gill (ed.). "The Blue Peter effect".
390:
has said Baxter treated the presenters like children. However,
63:
from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially
18:
1094:"Former editor Biddy Baxter reveals plot to sink Blue Peter"
741:"How 1950s Durham influenced Blue Peter, and thus the world"
743:, theguardian.com (The Northerner blog), 27 June 2012
386:
Baxter was a divisive figure for some ex-presenters.
947:"Yvette Fielding says she was bullied on Blue Peter"
536:, "Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum" from the musical
451:, on 10 February 1981. She is also a fellow of the
293:Baxter was born on 25 May 1933 at Regent Hospital,
236:
222:
212:
202:
192:
184:
155:
143:
660:
601:
375:, she also introduced a card index system so that
1118:"BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Biddy Baxter"
542:, the "Andante quasi lento e cantabile" from the
835:"How we made Blue Peter "How we made Blue Peter"
888:Baxter, Biddy; Barnes, Edward (18 March 2011).
855:"Biddy Baxter: Special Award Recipient in 2013"
437:(MBE), in recognition of her work as editor of
807:, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995, p.178
455:, and has received honorary D. Litts from the
1045:"Biddy Baxter To Receive BAFTA Special Award"
849:
847:
301:, to Bryan Reginald Baxter and Dorothy Vera,
8:
320:, where she studied between 1952 and 1955.
995:(Supplement). 31 December 1980. p. 13.
755:
753:
751:
749:
1207:Members of the Order of the British Empire
713:. No. 69416. London. pp. 18–26.
371:different letters that she had written to
140:
56:about living persons that is unsourced or
912:
910:
435:Member of the Order of the British Empire
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
784:
782:
780:
778:
652:
16:British television producer (born 1933)
1142:Baxter, Biddy; Barnes, Edward (1989).
512:. Her choices were "Deo Gracias" from
502:In June 2014, Baxter was the guest on
302:
7:
1059:from the original on 20 January 2021
760:Martinson, Jane (24 November 2014).
351:First broadcast on 16 October 1958,
1197:Alumni of St Mary's College, Durham
359:, but it was Baxter and her deputy
1164:Biddy Baxter biography and credits
366:Baxter devised and introduced the
14:
1020:"Joan Maureen (Biddy) Baxter MBE"
937:, telegraph.co.uk, 6 October 2008
1212:Mass media people from Leicester
1092:Chris Green (5 September 2008).
869:from the original on 17 May 2019
23:
1146:. Letchworth: Ringpress Books.
959:Stephens, John (3 April 2000).
477:in 2013. Baxter was praised by
355:had originally been devised by
310:Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School
197:Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School
1:
818:"Arts / The Age of Innocence"
570:and the "Papageno Duet" from
1202:English television producers
949:, bbc.co.uk, 12 October 2023
918:"Blue Peter: A sinking ship"
522:, the final chorus from the
443:; she received her MBE from
34:biography of a living person
1144:Blue Peter The Inside Story
600:Baxter, Biddy, ed. (2008).
61:must be removed immediately
1233:
669:. 26 May 1933. p. 9.
686:British Newspaper Archive
553:String Quintet in C Major
207:St Mary's College, Durham
1217:BBC television producers
1102:. London. Archived from
890:"Rosemary Gill obituary"
453:Royal Television Society
327:After graduating with a
250:(died 2000)
1024:University of Leicester
790:"Baxter, Biddy (1933-)"
578:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
560:, the Allegro from the
550:, the Allegro from the
495:is a legend and she is
475:BAFTA Children's Awards
457:University of Newcastle
433:, Baxter was appointed
426:. Hosier died in 2000.
316:, a women's college at
667:Leicester Evening Mail
580:. Her book choice was
548:Victor Hely-Hutchinson
48:Please help by adding
984:United Kingdom list:
563:Concierto de Aranjuez
530:Johann Sebastian Bach
431:1981 New Year Honours
1055:. 13 November 2013.
865:. 12 November 2013.
588:Patrick Leigh Fermor
583:The Traveller's Tree
515:A Ceremony of Carols
461:University of Durham
54:Contentious material
1106:on 3 December 2008.
509:Desert Island Discs
217:Television producer
160:Joan Maureen Baxter
1120:. BBC. 1 June 2014
992:The London Gazette
924:, 15 February 2009
841:, 25 February 2013
792:, BFI screenonline
739:Martin Wainwright
710:The Times Magazine
612:. pp. 1–336.
525:St Matthew Passion
334:Listen with Mother
1007:St James's Palace
1005:Honours Records,
833:Bibi van der Zee
824:, 10 October 1993
619:978-1-906021-49-8
449:Buckingham Palace
420:Michael Checkland
388:Valerie Singleton
357:John Hunter Blair
318:Durham University
257:
256:
137:
136:
129:
111:
37:needs additional
1224:
1157:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1125:
1114:
1108:
1107:
1089:
1083:
1082:
1075:
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1041:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1016:
1010:
1003:
997:
996:
982:
976:
975:
973:
971:
956:
950:
944:
938:
931:
925:
914:
905:
904:
902:
900:
885:
879:
878:
876:
874:
851:
842:
831:
825:
816:Allison Pearson
814:
808:
799:
793:
788:Alistair McGown
786:
773:
772:
770:
768:
757:
744:
737:
731:
730:
701:
690:
689:
683:
681:
664:
657:
638:
636:
634:
607:
520:Benjamin Britten
459:in 1988 and the
368:Blue Peter badge
312:, Leicester and
307:
251:
173:
169:
167:
141:
132:
125:
121:
118:
112:
110:
69:
50:reliable sources
27:
26:
19:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1222:
1221:
1177:
1176:
1154:
1141:
1138:
1133:
1123:
1121:
1116:
1115:
1111:
1099:The Independent
1091:
1090:
1086:
1081:. 27 June 2012.
1077:
1076:
1072:
1062:
1060:
1043:
1042:
1038:
1028:
1026:
1018:
1017:
1013:
1004:
1000:
985:
983:
979:
969:
967:
958:
957:
953:
945:
941:
933:Lucy Cockcroft
932:
928:
922:The Independent
915:
908:
898:
896:
887:
886:
882:
872:
870:
853:
852:
845:
832:
828:
822:The Independent
815:
811:
800:
796:
787:
776:
766:
764:
759:
758:
747:
738:
734:
703:
702:
693:
679:
677:
659:
658:
654:
650:
645:
632:
630:
620:
599:
596:
594:Further reading
573:The Magic Flute
568:Joaquín Rodrigo
408:
396:Yvette Fielding
349:
329:social sciences
291:
286:
253:
249:
245:
203:Alma mater
180:
174:
171:
165:
163:
162:
161:
151:
146:
133:
122:
116:
113:
70:
68:
47:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1230:
1228:
1220:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1179:
1178:
1175:
1174:
1161:
1158:
1152:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1109:
1084:
1070:
1036:
1011:
998:
977:
951:
939:
926:
906:
880:
843:
826:
809:
794:
774:
745:
732:
705:Turner, Janice
691:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
640:
639:
618:
595:
592:
558:Franz Schubert
544:Carol Symphony
532:, "Milord" by
483:Jane Martinson
407:
400:
348:
343:
299:Leicestershire
290:
287:
285:
282:
255:
254:
247:
241:
240:
238:
234:
233:
224:
223:Known for
220:
219:
214:
210:
209:
204:
200:
199:
194:
190:
189:
186:
182:
181:
175:
159:
157:
153:
152:
147:
144:
135:
134:
117:September 2021
76:"Biddy Baxter"
58:poorly sourced
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1229:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1192:Living people
1190:
1188:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1173:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1159:
1155:
1153:0-948955-50-3
1149:
1145:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1119:
1113:
1110:
1105:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1088:
1085:
1080:
1074:
1071:
1058:
1054:
1050:
1049:www.bafta.org
1046:
1040:
1037:
1025:
1021:
1015:
1012:
1008:
1002:
999:
994:
993:
988:
981:
978:
966:
962:
961:"John Hosier"
955:
952:
948:
943:
940:
936:
930:
927:
923:
919:
913:
911:
907:
895:
891:
884:
881:
868:
864:
860:
859:www.bafta.org
856:
850:
848:
844:
840:
836:
830:
827:
823:
819:
813:
810:
806:
805:
798:
795:
791:
785:
783:
781:
779:
775:
763:
756:
754:
752:
750:
746:
742:
736:
733:
728:
724:
720:
716:
712:
711:
706:
700:
698:
696:
692:
687:
676:
672:
668:
663:
656:
653:
647:
642:
629:
625:
621:
615:
611:
606:
605:
598:
597:
593:
591:
589:
585:
584:
579:
575:
574:
569:
565:
564:
559:
555:
554:
549:
545:
541:
540:
535:
531:
527:
526:
521:
517:
516:
511:
510:
505:
500:
498:
494:
490:
489:
484:
480:
476:
471:
469:
464:
462:
458:
454:
450:
446:
442:
441:
436:
432:
427:
425:
421:
417:
413:
405:
401:
399:
397:
393:
389:
384:
382:
381:Rosemary Gill
378:
374:
369:
364:
362:
361:Edward Barnes
358:
354:
347:
344:
342:
340:
336:
335:
330:
325:
321:
319:
315:
311:
305:
300:
296:
288:
283:
281:
279:
278:
273:
269:
265:
261:
244:
239:
235:
231:
230:
225:
221:
218:
215:
211:
208:
205:
201:
198:
195:
191:
187:
183:
178:
172:(age 91)
158:
154:
150:
142:
139:
131:
128:
120:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78: –
77:
73:
72:Find sources:
66:
62:
59:
55:
51:
45:
44:
40:
35:
30:
21:
20:
1172:Screenonline
1143:
1122:. Retrieved
1112:
1104:the original
1097:
1087:
1073:
1061:. Retrieved
1048:
1039:
1027:. Retrieved
1023:
1014:
1001:
990:
980:
968:. Retrieved
965:The Guardian
964:
954:
942:
929:
921:
916:Cole Morton
897:. Retrieved
894:The Guardian
893:
883:
871:. Retrieved
858:
839:The Guardian
838:
829:
821:
812:
803:
797:
765:. Retrieved
735:
727:IF0503863827
708:
684:– via
678:. Retrieved
666:
655:
631:. Retrieved
603:
581:
571:
561:
551:
543:
539:Carmen Jones
537:
523:
513:
507:
501:
496:
492:
488:The Guardian
486:
472:
467:
465:
438:
428:
409:
403:
392:Peter Purves
385:
376:
365:
352:
350:
345:
338:
332:
326:
322:
306: Briers
292:
275:
267:
263:
260:Joan Maureen
259:
258:
232:for 23 years
227:
145:Biddy Baxter
138:
123:
114:
104:
97:
90:
83:
71:
60:
43:verification
36:
1187:1933 births
1029:6 September
987:"No. 48467"
899:11 December
801:Asa Briggs
767:12 December
610:Short Books
504:BBC Radio 4
412:John Hosier
373:Enid Blyton
243:John Hosier
185:Nationality
170:25 May 1933
1181:Categories
1063:20 January
873:20 January
680:20 January
643:References
633:20 January
608:. London:
534:Édith Piaf
497:Blue Peter
493:Blue Peter
468:Blue Peter
440:Blue Peter
404:Blue Peter
377:Blue Peter
353:Blue Peter
346:Blue Peter
339:Blue Peter
289:Early life
277:Blue Peter
229:Blue Peter
213:Occupation
166:1933-05-25
87:newspapers
1009:, London.
970:22 August
719:0140-0460
675:750663867
628:917323731
479:Anna Home
463:in 2012.
445:The Queen
424:John Birt
416:Hong Kong
314:St Mary's
295:Leicester
284:Biography
193:Education
179:, England
177:Leicester
39:citations
1057:Archived
867:Archived
662:"Births"
226:Editing
65:libelous
1166:at the
1136:Sources
429:In the
252:
248:
188:British
101:scholar
1150:
1124:6 June
725:
717:
673:
626:
616:
268:Baxter
237:Spouse
103:
96:
89:
82:
74:
1053:BAFTA
863:BAFTA
648:Notes
402:Post-
264:Biddy
246:
108:JSTOR
94:books
32:This
1148:ISBN
1126:2014
1065:2022
1031:2019
972:2020
901:2017
875:2022
769:2017
723:Gale
715:ISSN
682:2022
671:OCLC
635:2022
624:OCLC
614:ISBN
422:and
406:life
156:Born
80:news
41:for
1170:'s
1168:BFI
586:by
576:by
566:by
556:by
546:by
528:by
518:by
506:'s
499:".
485:of
447:at
304:née
272:MBE
149:MBE
1183::
1096:.
1051:.
1047:.
1022:.
989:.
963:.
920:,
909:^
892:.
861:.
857:.
846:^
837:,
820:,
777:^
748:^
721:.
694:^
665:.
622:.
590:.
297:,
270:,
168:)
52:.
1156:.
1128:.
1067:.
1033:.
974:.
903:.
877:.
771:.
729:.
688:.
637:.
266:"
262:"
164:(
130:)
124:(
119:)
115:(
105:·
98:·
91:·
84:·
67:.
46:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.