Valerie Singleton | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1937-04-09)9 April 1937 (age 88) Hitchin,Hertfordshire, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Notable work | Blue Peter (1962–1976) The Money Programme (1980–1988) |
Valerie SingletonOBE (born 9 April 1937) is an English television and radio presenter. She is best known as a regular presenter of theBBC Television children's seriesBlue Peter from 1962 to 1972. She also presented theBBC Radio 4PM programme for ten years, as well as a series of radio and television programmes on financial and business issues, including the BBC'sThe Money Programme from 1980 to 1988.
Valerie Singleton was born on 9 April 1937 inHitchin,Hertfordshire,[1] the daughter of ex-RAFwing commander Dennis Singleton OBE, later an advertising executive with J.W.Thompson, and Eileen Singleton LRAM (née Reed).[2] She studied dancing at theArts Educational School, London, and at the age of twelve, appeared as a young dancer in Cinderella at the Finsbury Park Empire.[3] When Singleton was 16, she danced inAladdin at theKing's Theatre, Edinburgh, withStanley Baxter playing Wishee Washee, and she was also a young singer in theOvaltineys. She went on to spend two years at theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art, winning a scholarship for her first term, and she began her career as an actress at the New Theatre inBromley.[4]
For several years Singleton pursued her acting career, includingNest of Robins, a No 1 Tour starring Jessie Mathews and Sonnie Hale. In 1959, she starred in the BBC television sitcomThe Adventures of Brigadier Wellington-Bull. She began presenting on BBC Radio in 1963, hostingOn the Sunny Side of the Street for theLight Programme.[5] She was also a reporter onBBC2'sTime Out in 1964.[2] She became a voice over commentator for television commercials and presented, with Arnold a cartoon character, theArnold Doodle Show onITV on Sundays.[6]
Singleton joined theBBC in 1961 as a television continuity announcer and on 3 September 1962 joinedBlue Peter, where she remained as a regular weekly presenter until 3 July 1972. She appeared alongside Christopher Trace and John Noakes. In 1967, when Peter Purves joined created the "Val, John and Pete" line up and are often referred to as "the dream team".1971, Singleton accompanied Princess Anne (later the Princess Royal) toKenya on the Princess's first overseas trip as the newly assigned President of theSave the Children Fund, for the filmBlue Peter Royal Safari. In 1998, the two women met to reminisce about the Royal safari forBlue Peter's fortieth anniversary programmes. At Christmas 1971, Singleton and the rest of theBlue Peter presenting team hosted the annualDisney Time onBBC1.[7]
The documentaryBlue Peter Royal Safari led to the spin-off series,Blue Peter Special Assignments, in which Singleton was solo presenter. This was shown at weekends and ran from 1973 to 1981. Initially each edition focused on European capital cities, but later covered islands and the homes of well-known historic figures.[8] After making the last of her "in studio" appearances onBlue Peter in October 1975,[9] Singleton was featured in the end-of-year "review". She returned in January 1976 to mark the death of the firstBlue Peter cat, Jason. Just a few weeks later, producer Edward Barnes wrote to tell her that as she was no longer associated with the show in any genuine sense, they were replacing her as the presenter of theSpecial Assignment series. Her fees were reportedly a factor in their decision.[10]
The programme continued to repeat items featuring Singleton for many years, and she returned for a final series of theSpecial Assignment spin-off in 1981, reporting on the Yukon and Niagara Rivers. For both the 20th and 25th anniversary editions ofBlue Peter in 1978 and 1983 respectively, Singleton moderated the live link-ups from around the UK to launch the anniversary badge balloon hunts, thus extending her presenting career to 21 years. As a guest, she presented the "Outstanding Endeavour" award to its young recipient on the programme's 30th anniversary edition.Richard Marson states in hisBlue Peter 50th Anniversary book that "Singleton never really left Blue Peter".[10]
During her time onBlue Peter, Singleton presented another BBC children's show,Val Meets The VIPs, a chat show that ran for three series during 1973–74.[11] Each edition featured an interview with a single public figure to which an audience of children were invited to put across their questions. A guest in March 1973 was the then Secretary of State for EducationMargaret Thatcher, who when asked if she would like to be Prime Minister said that she did not have enough experience, nor would there be a "woman Prime Minister in my lifetime".[12]
Having co-hosted a special programme about Metrication in July 1973,[13] Singleton joinedNationwide in October 1973 as the show's "Consumer Unit" presenter withRichard Stilgoe, later becoming one of the main hosts of the show. Singleton was the co-anchor ofNationwide's royal wedding coverage in November 1973.[14] She leftNationwide in 1978 to present the BBC's late-night news programmeTonight, replacingSue Lawley. In 1980, she was the presenter ofBBC2's seriesA Kind of Childhood.[15] She made a brief return toNationwide in the summer of 1983, presenting a series of films looking at people forced to leave their homeland and settle in Britain.[16]
Singleton hosted many other programmes, notably undertaking a ten-year stint on the Monday-to-FridayBBC Radio 4PM programme beginning in 1982 (having previously presented the station'sMidweek with Valerie Singleton[17]) and eight years presentingBBC2'sThe Money Programme from September 1980 to March 1988. While hostingPM, Singleton admitted she had a difficult relationship with co-presenterHugh Sykes and threw a cup of water in his face while live on air. For the 1983 UK General Election held on 9 June, Singleton covered the results from two constituencies, Torbay and Truro. She interviewed the winning candidates,Frederic Bennett (Torbay) andDavid Penhaligon (Truro), after the results for the BBC's Election results programming.[18]
When she leftPM in 1993, she presented a travel programme for ITV and became a regular travel writer for several national publications. She made a one-off return toPM on 29 February 2016 to co-present a special "Leap Day" programme, alongsideEddie Mair.[19][20] In 1994, she was awarded theOBE for her services to children's television.[21]
In the 1990s, Singleton presented the quiz showBackdate onChannel 4. In the late 1990s, she presented 12 episodes ofPlayback for theHistory Channel, a programme that asked well-known figures about events that have influenced the course of their lives. In 2019, she appeared inCan I Improve My Memory? forChannel 4. She was an early enthusiast for and patron of the painterJack Vettriano.[22] In 2005, the story of Singleton's move from London to Dorset and the sale of the flat she had lived in for more than forty years was reported inThe Times.[citation needed]
Singleton was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 2001, when she was surprised byMichael Aspel.[23] Earlier, in 1974, she had been the featured castaway onDesert Island Discs.[24]
Singleton has never married or had children. In an interview, she said she had several partners over the years. She had a relationship with actorAlbert Finney. Whilst onBlue Peter she had an abortion and during her time as a presenter she had a one-night fling with her co-starPeter Purves.[25][26] She was also once engaged to radio presenter and DJPete Murray from 1967 - 1971.[3]
She said in 2008 that she liked "the pirate type. And men who give me what I call BSE – a big sexual experience."[25]
In 2020, Singleton was living inTemplecombe,Somerset.[27]
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