Biddy Baxter
Biddy Baxter, former Blue Peter editor, is interviewed by Kirsty Young.
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the TV producer and former Blue Peter editor Biddy Baxter.
In charge of Blue Peter for 23 highly successful years, she was responsible for the coveted Blue Peter badges, the multi-million pound charity fundraising appeals and a nationwide lust for something called sticky-backed plastic. Her masterstroke was getting the young audience involved; although the programme's weekly postbag of around seven thousand letters must have given her a few headaches.
In spite of some early careers advice that, "no one from Durham has ever got into the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ", her determination to make a career in broadcasting won out and across the decades her steely reputation kept the show at the top of the ratings and steered it through quite a few mishaps and the odd spot of 'scandal'.
She says simply, "It was an exercise in trying to make children feel as if they belonged.".
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Music Played
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Benjamin Britten
Deo Gracias from the Ceremony of Carols
Performer: Choir of St Johnβs College, Cambridge. Performer: George Guest.- Ceremony of Carols.
- Decca.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
The final chorus from the St Matthew Passion
Performer: Choir of Kingβs College, Cambridge. Performer: Concentus Musicus Wien. Performer: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.- St Matthew Passion - Harnoncourt.
- Teldec.
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Γdith Piaf
Milord
- The Very Best of Edith Piaf.
- Capitol.
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Georges Bizet
Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum (from Carmen Jones)
Performer: Members of the Cast.- The Magic of the Musicals.
- Music Collection International.
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Victor Hely Hutchinson
Andante quasi lento e cantabile from Carol Symphony
Performer: Pro Arte Orchestra. Performer: Barry Rose.- Carol Symphony.
- EMI.
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Castaway's Favourite
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Franz Schubert
The Allegro from Schubert's String Quintet in C Major
Performer: Amadeus Quartet.- Schubert: String Quintet in C.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
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JoaquΓn Rodrigo
The Allegro from the Concerto de Aranjuez
Performer: MiloΕ‘ KaradagliΔ. Performer: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Yannick NΓ©zetβSΓ©guin.- Milos Aranjuez.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Papageno Duet
Performer: Regula MΓΌhlemann. Performer: Michael Nagy. Performer: Sir Simon Rattle. Performer: Berlin Philharmonic.- The Magic Flute.
- BPH.
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Book Choice
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The Traveller's Tree - Patrick Leigh Fermor
Luxury Choice
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Toast and dripping
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Kirsty Young |
Interviewed Guest | Biddy Baxter |
Producer | Cathy Drysdale |
Broadcasts
- Sun 1 Jun 2014 11:15ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Fri 6 Jun 2014 09:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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