The show has also been a quiet force for social good. Its appeals have raised millions for charity, from building schools in Africa to providing lifeboats for the RNLI. Its badge, a simple brooch in different colours, is a passport to free entry at hundreds of attractions across the country, a small reward for being a viewer and a participant.
For sixty-five years, Blue Peter has been a constant in a changing world. It has survived the rise of multi-channel television, the internet, and the smartphone. It survives because it offers something that never goes out of style: the simple, profound pleasure of making something with your own hands. It has taught generations that creativity is not a spectator sport. It is something you do. So, here’s to Blue Peter, and to the millions of wonky models, misshapen badges, and sticky-fingered afternoons it has inspired. The show must go on.
