Broadcaster Anthea Turner looks back: ‘I spent my Blue Peter era scared to death I was going to get found out’
The Guardian Article by Harriet Gibsone
The presenter on building Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island, being in the tabloids and getting out of her comfort zone.
Born in 1960 in Stoke-on-Trent, Anthea Turner began her broadcasting career as a runner for BBC Radio Stoke before moving into children’s television, presenting Blue Peter from 1992 to 1994. She went on to front primetime shows including GMTV, The National Lottery Live and Wish You Were Here ... ? More recently, she has appeared on reality series from Celebrity Big Brother to Dancing on Ice, and continues to work across TV, radio and publishing. She is teaming up with Corgi to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Thunderbirds.
During Christmas 1992, there was a high demand for Tracy Island, the Thunderbirds’ secret headquarters playset. The manufacturers hadn’t ordered enough, so Blue Peter came to the rescue, declaring: “Don’t worry! You can make one at home instead!”
When I made one on TV, however, the DIY instructions ended up being so sought-after that our little offices became snowed under with letters. That’s what’s behind me – Royal Mail bags full of stamped addressed envelopes from children wanting to know how to make it. There were probably parents all over the country scratching their heads, thinking: “Why did we think we could help our child craft this intricate thing?” Tracy Island was not for the faint-hearted. I practised so many times to get it right for the live show. There were 8 million viewers – I couldn’t mess it up.
These were such fun and innocent times. Everything was slower in the 90s, but there was more unity and the viewers were so engaged. I was 32 when I got the job and glad to be a little older, as it meant I could deal with the pressure of recording two shows a day. They were looking for someone who could hit the ground running, and by this point I had done Saturday morning television and Top of the Pops, so I was ready to jump in with both feet.
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