Episode 15 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman

'Childhood holidays, ho-ho, the anticipation seemed endless.

'The holiday itself? Well, it was over too quickly.

'So, in this series, I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times

'with some much-loved famous faces.'

This is a memory I will treasure.

'Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises

'to transport them back in time.'

I feel as though we're about to go over the edge.

Well, don't say that.

'We'll relive the fun...'

-BOTH:

-Oh! Wow!

No! No!

'..the games...

'..and the food of years gone by...'

That is a little taste of childhood, right there.

'..to find out how those holidays around the UK

'helped shape the people we know so well today.'

Whaa! Hah-ha-ha!

'So, buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.'

Oh, yes. We're going to get the water-skis out in a moment.

LEN CHUCKLES

Hey, you're not going to guess who this is.

It's a well-known TV face

who's been a family favourite since the '60s.

She was born in 1937, in Hertfordshire.

Ho-ho! Look at that little face.

Ooh, I'd like to pinch those cheeks!

In 1962, she sailed into children's living rooms on a very famous ship.

And in 1994, she received the ultimate badge of honour -

an OBE for services to children's television.

HE HUMS BLUE PETER THEME

You got it?

Yes, of course you have.

Here's one we made earlier -

it's Blue Peter and broadcasting legend, none other than...

Valerie Singleton.

Valerie, hold your horses, here comes Lenny.

Valerie Singleton was born on 9 April 1937.

Her dad, Dennis, was a wing commander in the RAF

and her mum, Catherine, was a trained violinist.

As a young girl, Valerie had her heart set on becoming an actor

and a dancer - she even attended RADA.

But then along came an opportunity that was just too good to turn down.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

We thought perhaps we ought to start getting used to elephants

and John and Peter are having quite a handful

trying to bring in this little one.

Whoa-eh. Here we go.

Well, this is Lulu, she's from Chessington Zoo and she's being...

Well, she's leading in her keeper, Alec,

and she's also leading us in as well.

Her ten years at the helm of Blue Peter

not only made her one of the most recognisable faces on television

but also took her on adventures all over the world,

including a very memorable Kenyan safari with Princess Anne in 1971.

Following that, Valerie had successful stints

on the popular consumer show Nationwide

and BBC bosses banked on her popularity

when they asked her to front the long-running series

The Money Programme.

And I can't wait to say... Hello!

Oh, wow! Look at that divine car.

-Valerie.

-Hello.

Oh.

-How lovely to meet you.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Really good. That is such a...

-Look at it!

-I know, it's beautiful.

-This was your...

-I think it's probably a little bit cleaner

than the one we had.

This vintage gem is a Morris Eight,

part of a range that was so popular when it was released,

it actually helped Morris Motors reclaim the title

of Britain's largest car manufacturer.

So, where are we off to?

Well, we're going to a caravan park...

-Right.

-..which is on the Jurassic Coast.

-Lovely.

Although I have to admit that when we were there,

-I didn't really know anything about the Jurassic Coast.

-No.

-I was a bit innocent about that.

-Yeah.

-I know a bit more now.

-So, what was the year?

-Oh, it's an awfully long time ago - 1952.

-1952. Bill and Ben...

-Really?

-..they started in '52.

-Oh, wow.

-And do you know what the big movie was?

-Erm...

-Tell me.

-Singing In The Rain.

-Oh, fantastic. That was my favourite movie.

-And mine.

I loved that movie.

Here we go, your carriage awaits. Look at this, beautiful.

-It's so beautiful.

-Isn't it beautiful?

MUSIC: Singing In The Rain by Gene Kelly

# I'm singing in the... #

Lovely.

The holiday of Valerie's lifetime

took place on the south coast of England

in the very picturesque Ladram Bay area of Devon.

Situated midway between the towns of Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth,

this secluded cove is the ideal place to sit back,

relax and forget all about the hustle and bustle of modern life.

The sheltered nature of the bay makes it ideal for water sports

and fishing. But if that sounds like hard work,

you can always indulge in a spot of sunbathing.

There's no time for taking it easy today, though,

because we're visiting the very campsite

where Valerie would have holidayed as a child.

-Did all four of us get into that?

-How did you get in there?

'We'll also be winding back the years to her dancing days.'

Whoop-sa!

'And I'm going to net Valerie a meeting with a salty old sea dog

'who she might actually have encountered

'when she first visited Devon over 60 years ago.'

Well, you and I might have played on the beach together.

-More than likely.

-Wow. I wonder if you're in any of my photographs.

Before any holiday truly begins,

first you must set out on the journey.

And for Valerie and her family, that meant packing their cases

and hitting the road in a car just like this one.

What a beauty.

1952. So, you could have only been a little girl.

-I was 15.

-Ooh!

-15.

-And where were you driving from?

Well, we were living in London then in...quite near the Fulham Road.

So, to come right down here to Devon must have been a real,

-you know, a real adventure?

-Yes.

But don't forget, of course, in 1952,

-there would have been hardly any traffic on the roads.

-Yeah.

And in those days, you know,

I remember when I came back from school...

..we'd pack a picnic and we'd go off and have a picnic in Richmond Park.

-Right, yeah.

-And, you know, some of us would drive out for the day

-quite a long way. You never got stuck in traffic jams then.

-No.

And did you have a picnic on your way...? You must have stopped.

-I think we did stop on the way down, yes.

-Yeah.

My dad was very into cars, he loved cars and he loved driving.

I've got a lovely picture of him somewhere

-in a lovely little open-topped sports car...

-Right.

-..which I think he had to woo my mum.

-Oh, yes.

Well, an open-topped car would woo any girl.

-Isn't this countryside gorgeous?

-Gorgeous.

-Oh, it's so beautiful.

And how many of you were there in the car coming down?

There was Mum and Dad, me,

my brother, who's four years younger than me, and our collie...

Well, not collie, she was a sheltie, called Paddy.

So, there was the four of you -

your mum and dad, you and your brother, plus the dog,

-plus the luggage...

-Yes.

-..all in this car?

-Yes.

I don't know how we did it.

This is the most pretty village we're coming to now, Otterton.

-It's really, really charming.

-Yeah.

-If you look at the houses, it's all...

-All thatched.

-It's just lovely.

-Certainly, I must say you're right.

I love this little village. I remember we came here once or twice.

-Yeah.

-Very sweet.

And it's just so... Look at these cottages, aren't they beautiful?

-It is truly beautiful.

-I love this, it's really nice.

It's a good job that Valerie and her family

chose to take their holiday in the summer months

because in 1952, Britain experienced one of the worst winters ever.

Other stories hitting the headlines that year included

a landslide victory for Dwight D Eisenhower

in the US elections

and the announcement of the coronation

of Queen Elizabeth II.

God save the Queen.

-God bless you, ma'am. Hip, hip... ALL:

-Hooray!

And if you turned on your wireless back in 1952,

one of the new releases you'd hear was Jo Stafford's You Belong To Me.

# You belong to me

-# And remember... #

-It was a song that would go on

to become the first-ever UK number one recorded by a female.

Oh, beautiful.

# Belong to me. #

But it's back to the present day now and I've spotted something

that always is a sight for sore eyes on any long drive to the coast.

Oh, the sea! Oh...

Oh, you beat me to it - the first person to see the sea.

-Yeah, there you are.

-Look at the sparkle on that sea today.

Doesn't that look glorious?

-And that's what's lovely with Devon, it's nice and hilly.

-Yeah.

I remember this. Now, coming down the hill.

Now, there used to be a farm...

-SHE GASPS

-Oh, my gosh!

-EMOTIONAL:

-I don't believe it. Oh, heck.

Isn't this fabulous?

Well, yes, but there's a lot more caravans than there were

-when we were here.

-Yeah, well, you know.

-Oh, my goodness me.

'And here we are,

'the holiday destination of Valerie's childhood dreams.

'It's the first time in more than 60 years that she's been here,

'but I don't think it'll take long for all those memories

'to come flooding back,

'especially when the scenery is as stunning as this.'

This is heaven, isn't it? It's absolutely fantastic.

-We were in this field here...

-Right.

..literally on the top of the cliff...

-Just over here?

-..just where those are.

And our caravan was, sort of, back up in a corner.

-Really? Yeah, that's the prime spot.

-And then we would walk all the way

along the cliff.

-I suppose you could walk...

-Beautiful walks.

-Lovely walks...

-Oh, stunning walks.

-..right along the cliff tops.

'The cliffs in this cove are stunning

'and I can't resist the opportunity to take a closer look.

'Who knows, I might even spot the odd bird or two.'

-Oh, there's a naked lady!

-Good heavens.

There's a naked lady just laying there, exposed...

-I think that's wishful thinking, Len.

-Have you got another 20p?

Wicked.

There may have been far fewer people around when Val visited,

but this area has long been a popular vacation destination

with holidaymakers enjoying all it has to offer -

beaches, cliffs and a heritage that stretches back millions of years.

It's the first and only natural World Heritage Site in England.

It's 95 miles of coastline and it goes...

It spans the history,

up to 250 million years ago

with the Jurassic area, which we're in here.

We have behind us some very steep red cliffs,

with the stacks off them, and these date back all that time.

With such a rich history, it's no wonder this place

is so popular with holidaymakers.

And it's not just the hoi polloi that have visited over the years.

The Royal family led the charge into the sea at Brighton and that spread.

So, I think the people of the day, the nobility, felt

if the Royal family felt sea bathing was good for you,

then they would do it.

And that's how places like Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton

became so popular.

Childhood holidays are often defined by the accommodation

you get to stay in,

whether that's a static in St Ives or a pit stop in Perth.

For Valerie, though, the best room in town was a four-berth caravan,

and I've managed to track down a vintage 1950s model,

like the one she stayed in all those years ago.

-Look at that little beauty.

-It's very sweet.

I love the way it's painted.

That's exactly what it was like.

And also, in those days of course, it was almost like that on its own.

-Did all four of us get in to that?

-How did you get in there?

-Now...

-Can we get in?

-Oh, clever you.

-Oh, yes.

-Would I bring you here and not let you go in?

-Wow.

Well, here we are.

-Are you going to carry me across the threshold?

-I don't think so,

-but I'll give you a leg up.

-Look at this.

-Isn't that amazing?

-Eh.

Wow. Gosh.

This is what it was like.

-God, I can't believe it.

-You can't imagine people living here, can you?

I mean, that must have been my mum and dad's bed,

-those big bunks there.

-Yes, of course.

Back in 1952, a caravan like this

would have been the height of holiday luxury.

But with two adults and two kids and a dog,

it must have been a bit of a tight squeeze for Valerie and her family.

So, was caravan holidays popular then, as you remember?

-Well, I think it was because nobody went abroad.

-No.

-You know, you didn't do the Spanish holiday then.

-No, no.

I didn't go abroad and have a proper holiday

until it was skiing with a few friends when I was about 20.

Yeah.

So, I suppose that the sleeping arrangements,

as we look at this one, would have been your mum and dad...

-Yes.

-..and then that little one up there

would have been for you and your brother?

I'm wondering if it pulls out and maybe becomes a double

-or maybe goes up and so there's one above the other?

-Yeah.

-But it might be that we had friends who caravaned...

-Yeah.

..and suggested coming down here, cos I know we had friends...

So, I never quite know whether they were friends before we came

-or we met them here.

-Yeah.

-And there were really very few caravans then.

-Yeah.

I mean, it was very peaceful on the beach, swimming,

walking the dog, walking along the cliff tops, riding,

going up to the farm.

What is wonderful, there's so many things to see and do.

Do you know what, Valerie, I think we should go and do

-a little bit of investigating.

-OK.

And if you're looking for things to do in this part of Devon yourself,

I've picked seven of the best local attractions to tell you about.

This observatory in Sidmouth was built

by the great British astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer,

whose claim to fame was the discovery of helium on the sun.

The observatory was built when

Lockyer retired as a director

of the Solar Physics Observatory,

in London.

In those days, the skies were getting very smoggy

and light-polluted,

so he decided to move the Solar Physics Observatory

to Cambridge.

Lockyer was in his 76th year, he was due for retirement.

He didn't particularly want...agree for them to be moved to Cambridge,

so he retired here where his wife owned a lot of property in Sidmouth.

And now, here in Devon, you too can gaze into the far-off galaxies

using the very same telescope that Lockyer did back in the 1860s.

Now, if you like llamas and you like walking,

then you'll love walking with llamas.

They are friendly, gentle and intelligent animals

that make ideal walking companions.

There'll even carry your refreshments and waterproofs

for you. Be warned, though, they're not very good at map-reading,

so make sure you know the route before you set off.

There are no llamas today, but I want to take Valerie

for a little walk

down a path that hopefully leads to some lovely childhood memories.

So, Len, where are you taking me now?

-Well, we're going up to the farm...

-Oh!

..where you used to go, I guess, with your brother.

-Where I used to go for the milk.

-Yes. Do you recognise this?

I do. What a lovely farmhouse.

Isn't it fabulous? So, were you to come up here to get some produce?

Well, we would come up every morning to get fresh milk...

-Yeah.

-..with our milk churns -

you know, those lovely silver little milk churns -

-literally fresh from the cow, warm, still warm.

-Yeah.

I mean, you could do that in those days.

You'd have had to hold it above your head, I suppose,

so it was past-your-eyes.

Oh, dear. How long have you been practising that one?

Just thought I'd slip that in.

..and eggs. Have you got one about eggs as well?

-No, nothing about eggs.

-OK.

Fish, we'd have probably got from the fishermen when I came here...

-Yeah.

-..so, we'd have had that for supper.

-So, I think it was mainly eggs and...

-Yeah, maybe some vegetables?

..and vegetables as well, yes. It was all local produce.

Either that or we would have driven in to Ottery St Mary or...

-Yeah.

-I can't see anybody around,

do you think it's a private home now or do you think it's still a farm?

-Valerie...

-I want a cow.

-Valerie, listen carefully.

-I've got a lot of pull in the country.

-OK.

-So, you've...

-I'm going to say let's go in, see what we see.

-OK.

-What do you reckon? Come on.

-OK, OK.

'Seaview Farm has been in the same family for more than 70 years now

'and I've arranged for Valerie to meet with some special people.

'It was current owners Zoe and Francis' parents

'that owned it back in 1952.

'In fact, Francis would've been around

'when Valerie used to visit, all those years ago.'

-So, all this and the caravans...

-Yeah.

..ever since those days has actually been with your family?

-That's right, with Dad.

-Wow. So you've...

-70-odd years, isn't it?

-Incredible.

-Yeah, it's been in the family 70 years.

-Yeah?

-And you've seen it expand the way it has?

-Absolutely.

So, you must have rented the caravan to us?

Well, my mum would have, yes. She'd have been down there, yeah.

So, there you are, you're 15 years old.

-That is fantastic.

-..up you come...

-Yes.

-..with your tin.

-That's right.

-And probably Bill was milking the cows in here...

-Yes.

-Yeah.

..and then the churns would have been out there,

-cos we used to put big milk churns out.

-Yes, that's right.

-It was all lovely and warm.

-It used to get delivered down the lane.

-And were there eggs here?

-Eggs and chickens.

-There were eggs, yes.

We had big, sort of, poultry out the back, a big shed full of them.

I went riding, Len. So, would I have got the horses from you, too?

-Yes, we had ponies.

-Do you know, I think I've got a picture in my album

-of me on one of your horses.

-Oh, that would be lovely, yes.

So lovely to meet you again,

I can't believe you're still here after all these years.

-And it's hardly changed, it's beautiful.

-It's lovely.

-It's a proper farm.

-It's a proper old farm, yeah.

Yeah, it's just great.

-Amazing to think you were here all those years ago.

-Yes, it was...

You might even have come and played with us on the beach.

I'm sure we did cos we always looked forward to people arriving

in the summer and we'd come down and meet whoever's there.

-So, yeah, it was part of our life, really.

-And I've come back.

-We've got... To be honest, it'd be lovely to chat...

-Yes.

..especially here in the sunshine, but we've got a lot to do.

-A lot to do.

-So, thank you.

-Good to see you again.

Thank you for a bit of enlightenment.

Thank you very much. No cows now, though?

-BOTH:

-No, no cows. Just horses.

-Lovely to meet you again. Bye!

-Bye!

-Bye!

-Bye!

'And while I whisk Valerie off to more trips down Memory Lane,'

here are some more of my seven attractions

that could be right up your street.

The Fairlynch Museum and Arts Centre in Budleigh Salterton

is located in such an attractive building

that you might want to stay in the garden

and admire its splendour from the outside.

But if you do that, you'll miss out on some 4,000 items

of men's, women's and children's clothing

dating back as far as the early 1700s.

If that's not enough for you, there's the local history room,

full of information on life in Budleigh Salterton through the ages.

Now, if you like a nice glass of wine with your dinner,

this next attraction is the one for you.

Under the watchful eye of co-owner Faye Pratt,

this vineyard produces up to 5,000 bottles of vino every year.

We grow Bacchus grapes,

Rondo grapes, Pinot Noir Precoce,

Seyval Blanc, and this year we'll have another harvest,

which will be our Reichensteiner grapes.

But don't worry if you don't know your Beaujolais from your Blue Nun,

this may be an award-winning vineyard,

but there are no airs and graces here.

Our tasting room is literally in a stable.

It's a lot tidier now than when my horse was there,

but people are quite charmed

by the fact that everything is very low-key.

There's nothing particularly commercialised. It's...

We are who we are.

'From fine wine to more magical memories now,

'because a little bird tells me that when she was holidaying here

'as a little girl, Valerie would be up at the crack of dawn

'to come to this very spot for a very special reason.'

This is where you'd sneak to first thing in the morning

and meet the fishermen?

-You've still got all the fishing tackle here.

-Yeah.

I'd go out very early in the morning and lay the nets with them,

right out at sea.

Well, there's a gentleman here that I want you to meet...

-Who's that?

-..who's an old fisherman.

-Wow.

-And it may be that you knew his dad cos he used to fish from here.

-Gosh.

-So, come with me.

-That does make me feel old.

-Well...

-OK.

-Who are you introducing me to?

This young gentleman is Stan.

-Hello, Stan.

-And he's been a fisherman all his life.

Nice to meet you.

-Yeah.

-Were you a fisherman here when I came on holiday?

-I was a young boy then with my father.

-Were you?

-He was a fisherman, and my grandfather.

-Well, you and I

-might have played on the beach together.

-More than likely.

Wow. I wonder if you're in any of my photographs.

Now, who were the fishermen you knew?

Well, there was Goofy...

..Charlie, Bill... And what was your dad's name?

-Was your dad Robert?

-Bob.

-Bob. That's right.

-Bob.

-And you know, I used to go out very early in the morning,

-I used to come...

-That's correct.

-And I used to come down from the...

-That's right.

-Did you come out, too?

-Yeah, I did.

-When we used to lay the nets?

-Yeah.

Do you know, I think I've got a picture in my album

of me on the beach helping your dad mend a fishing net.

Now, let me have a look at that. This is...

-I suppose this is a bit of the old net?

-That's part of the troll.

-Part of the troll.

-That's part of the wooden troll.

Let's have a look at this.

I think this is a thing I was helping your father mend.

-That's right.

-Now, when you were fishing...

You know, nowadays, you see on the news,

they catch fish

and they're not the EU right size and they have to chuck them back in.

-I've known someone to throw all his fish back.

-Really?

-17 years ago he had to throw it all back.

-Why?

-It was the wrong fish or...?

-Wrong fish for the wrong people.

-Ridiculous.

-I think this could do with a bit of a Blue Peter makeover.

I think it could as well.

So, is there still a lot of fishing goes on?

-My brother and his son still working seven days a week.

-Really?

-Wow.

And he's 60...

-He's 69.

-Right.

And his son's about 50 and they're still working seven days a week.

-Gosh.

-Right, still going out.

-Four in the morning till seven at night.

-Blooming 'eck. And where do they fish from?

-Here.

-Fantastic.

-And what's their main catch? What do they catch most of?

They catch Dover sole, plaice, skate...

-..mackerel...

-Right.

-I love mackerel, it's my favourite fish.

-..crabs, lobsters.

-What's your favourite fish, Stan?

-You name it, I like it.

-I'm the same, I love fish.

-So do I.

Well, Stan, I love to talk to you because you are a character.

-I hope so.

-You really are, you're a proper character

and you look like a fisherman.

-I feel it, too.

-How long have you had that hat?

-300 years.

-LAUGHTER

-Stan, thank you very, very much.

-It's quite all right.

-It's been lovely to chat.

-It's quite all right.

-We're going to have to move off.

-OK.

-We're going round the side here,

-do a bit of courting.

-All right, lovely.

The rocks and the beach might not have changed much

since Valerie used to holiday here, but the caravan park certainly has.

In the early '50s,

there would have been one small camping field

where people used to bring their touring vans or pitch a tent.

Very low-key, no amenities, no facilities,

no shops. And gradually, the park's evolved from there.

I think just from looking at pictures of what it was like

back in the '50s and '40s, when Grandad first came here,

it's just evolved so much.

It's recognisable in that it's still Ladram and it's beautiful,

and the area.

But I think in terms of facilities, it's just grown so much.

And one of those new facilities is this clubhouse.

Word has it, it even has a dance floor.

'And if there's one thing that I can't resist,

'it's leading a lady on a merry dance.'

Walk. Walk.

One-two, walk.

Walk, side, close.

Walk. Walk.

Walk, side, walk.

Walk, side, close.

Ah-ha, ah-ha,

yep-a-wop,

ye-pa-pa.

Yep, yep,

ye-pa-wo.

'It's easy to see that Valerie was no stranger to the tango

'when she was younger.

'And I'll tell you what, the girl's still got it.'

Thank you very much.

Thank you. That was lovely.

-What a marvel.

-To dance the tango with such a...

-Well, no, don't.

-..fantastic...

-Don't say it. I know.

-Was I OK? I didn't keep my head...

-You were better than OK.

You had that nice sharpness in your head.

-I enjoyed it.

-Points? Score?

-Pardon? A score?

-Score?

-I'm going to give you a SEVEN.

-Thank you.

-Now, if we practice it a bit longer...

-Very special,

-my own seven.

-..you'd probably end up with a ten.

-However, would you like to have a little bit of lunch?

-Yes.

-So would I.

-That was great fun, thank you so much.

-Off we go.

-Very special.

-What a partner.

-Wow.

-Lenny and Valerie.

-Wow.

For most people, eating out is a big part of any holiday experience.

And while there'd be the occasional trip into town for dinner,

for Valerie and her family,

most meals would have been cooked back at the caravan.

-I've just been up to the farm shop, Valerie.

-Yeah.

-And I've got us a few eggs and bacon.

-Oh, my gosh.

Now, I remember you on Blue Peter...

-Yes.

-Quite often you had to rustle up something or other.

Well, I used to have to make things out of old egg boxes.

-Well, after we've finished, you can probably make me up a...

-No, sorry.

..a woolly jumper.

-Do we have any oil in there?

-Yes, we do.

-This is brilliant.

-I'm going to put the bacon on.

-And it's warm.

Yeah, you could... Yeah.

-Snuggle round it.

-Do you like bacon?

-I love bacon.

-Bacon sandwiches.

-Bacon sandwich is one of my favourites of all time.

-Me too.

-And you?

-Yes, I love bacon.

-Now, you're 15 years old.

-Right.

Did you have any idea what you wanted to do?

You know, what your future held?

Did you think, "Well, I want to be a nurse," or whatever?

No. I was at a dancing school and I was going to be Doris Day.

You were singing and dancing and in the musicals?

I was at the Arts Educational School

and I've got all my little medals saying I've done my foxtrot

and my different dances and my waltz, you know?

-So, your plan...

-I trained as a dancer.

-..was to be

-in musical theatre or whatever?

-Yeah.

Carry on, I'm just doing a bit of cooking here.

Oh, look, it's going to be really... Do you want another bit?

-Well, we can do if...

-And then I discovered

-I didn't have long enough legs to be Doris Day.

-No.

And I followed a girlfriend at the school to

the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...

-Oh, right. So...

-..and moved on from...

-..the television

-wasn't in, you know...

-No. I was going to be an actress.

-Right.

But then with Blue Peter, you see, a lot of the things we did

-was dressing up as the characters - Jane Austen, Marie Antoinette.

-Yeah.

But there must have been over all those... Cos you were on it,

I don't know, was it ten years or more?

I was on it just under ten years, yes.

-I'm going to turn that...

-This is smelling very good.

-Then it's...

-Well.

-You need a bit of... Here.

-People think I can't cook, but,

you know, look at me.

It's so nice to have somebody doing the cooking for me.

Well, I was hoping you'd do it,

but to be honest, I don't trust you, really.

SHE LAUGHS

Are you going to do it sunny-side up for me?

Look, you'll get what you're given.

-OK?

-Sorry!

Now, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.

I'm not messing around with you today, Valerie,

as much as you'd like me to.

I'm going to now do something.

Because I'm going to chop that bit off...

-..because that's not, you know...

-It's getting a bit brown.

But this bit is delightful. Now...

I'm going to do you first.

Hmm. This is lovely.

Look at this view, it's so beautiful.

There's a lovely bit of bacon there, fresh from the farm.

And now...

Just hold that knob. Thank you.

Get up. Get up and don't be...

-Marvellous.

-Ainsley, if you're watching this...

..perfection on a plate, that's what you've got here.

I've never eaten a fried egg with a fork before.

-No, you've got a knife.

-Oh, look, isn't that lovely?

-And it's actually done beautifully.

-I've done it to a...

-Whatever they call it.

-This is lovely. Are you going to have yours?

-Of course I am.

-Can I start, please?

-Please start while it's hot.

Oh, wow. Look at this.

Here comes mine.

Hmm, delicious.

Delicious. Val...

Can I have the camera?

Valerie has just said, "Delicious."

Hmm.

Very good.

Lovely.

Well, my stomach may be full, but I've still got an appetite

to explore more of the places where Valerie played as a young girl.

So, it's down to the beach. And what better place to quiz Valerie

a bit more about the role that catapulted her to fame?

Tell me, how did you get onto Blue Peter?

There you are, you want to be, you know, a singer and a dancer

and you did a bit of acting.

Then how did Blue Peter, come long?

Well, people think that my career started with Blue Peter,

but I was 25 when I started Blue Peter.

So, in fact, when I left drama school, I did a year in Bromley Rep,

I did the Theatre Royal, Bath, The Arts Theatre in Cambridge,

number one tour, television, all sorts of different things.

Voice-overs for commercials,

a lovely film for Ford Classic in Greece,

advertising their new Classic car.

And then a friend said, "Why don't you write

"and try and be a continuity announcer?"

I got an audition, I got the job, did that for about a year,

bumped into a guy called Chris Trace.

He said, "I do something called Blue Peter.

"We're looking for a girl." I thought,

"Well, I've got a job on the fourth floor,

"I might as well go and audition." That's how it started.

-And you got the job.

-I got the job. And for a while,

-the continuity announcing and the Blue Peter ran together.

-Yeah.

Then Biddy Baxter arrived. And suddenly, it became twice a week,

we got the dogs and the appeals and the albums and they said,

"You can't do both - decide."

And my parents were very upset because I decided to do Blue Peter.

-Yeah.

-They said, "Are you sure? Nobody knows about this programme."

-Yeah.

-Continuity announcing, that's really something.

-Who knows about continuity announcers now?

-Yeah, no-one.

-So, the rest is history.

-Yeah.

And it's amazing that, you know, you've done so many other things

before and after, and yet it's...

-Still that.

-..Blue Peter that is the thing that everyone remembers.

Yes. But it's very nice. I remember listening to somebody

quite well-known who was being reminded about something

that they'd done, and he said how lovely that it was a good programme.

-Yeah.

-It would be awful if you'd done something bad.

-Yeah.

-..and it'd been sort of slated.

-Yeah.

But to be remembered for something that had so many accolades

-and that so many people have...

-Yeah.

I mean, I met somebody the other day and it was a little shop, she said,

"I'm doing this because I watched Blue Peter."

I've met people who've said they've taken up interior design

-or hat designing or something...

-Right.

..because they watched Blue Peter, which is very rewarding.

I can remember the fantastic things you made out of egg boxes

and toilet rolls, you know, the centres, and this and that.

There must have been a few that really went pear-shaped on...

Yes, there were quite a few.

I remember there was one day when we had, I think,

the Duchess of Kent there and I just couldn't get something to stick,

and eventually I said, "Oh, use a bit of spit."

And, of course, she was watching, came down

and sort of roared with laughter that I'd used spit.

No, there were quite a few things that went...

But we had this wonderful person who came up with a lot of the ideas.

-I mean, if I'd actually made something...

-Yeah.

-..it would have taken up a whole Blue Peter...

-Yeah.

-..but we had all the different stages.

-Here's one I made...

"Here's the one I made earlier," exactly.

Was you on it the time the elephant did a whoopsy?

So, I will be looking for working elephants when we're out in Ceylon.

And they use these great trunks

to carry wood around in the jungle.

They even work on building sites.

-Who knows, we might see some working there.

-Yes, you never know.

Thank you very much indeed. Can you...?

Maybe I'll just stand back a little bit. Oh, dear.

Well, I think we're going to see...

-Oh, she wants to stay.

-..all sorts of very exciting new and different

things when we're in Ceylon.

-Here she comes again.

-She doesn't want to leave us. Hello!

-Off you go.

-Bye-bye, Lulu.

-They do say it's lucky, don't they?

As I was saying, we'll see all sorts of very exciting things...

-KEEPER:

-Martin! Martin!

-Let it go that way. Let it go that way.

-I should leave her here to have a drink.

-She's all right.

-She'll be all right.

-But one thing we must do, one very important thing

before we leave, and that is to make sure that our animals

-are going to be as happy as we're obviously going to be...

-Martin!

-..when we're on holiday.

-Oh, get off me foot!

-Martin!

-Thanks very much.

-'That was pretty funny.

-That was amazing.'

And do you know, the very next day, I went in -

I never go into Harrods, but I went in to get some perfume or something,

it was the only place they sold it -

and suddenly in this very, sort of, upmarket perfumery section,

the assistant started falling about with laughter and I said,

"I'm terribly sorry, have I said something funny?"

She said, "I was watching Blue Peter yesterday,"

and she'd seen the elephant.

That was the first time I realised just how funny this was going to be.

-Yeah.

-And there are still people who haven't seen it,

-that's what's so extraordinary.

-Really?

You still meet people who say, "I've never watched it."

-I think it must be on YouTube, though.

-I remember it, yeah.

-Well, we've got to make our way up that hill.

-Right.

-We've got more to do, more to see.

-OK.

-Here we go.

Bye-bye, beach.

And if you're looking for things to do on a day out in Devon,

in true Blue Peter fashion, here are some ideas that I prepared earlier.

That's right, it's time for another selection

from my seven things to see and do on the coast.

At number three, a family attraction where you can do

a little Dr Doolittle and talk to the animals.

Or you can check out the largest collection of vintage vehicles

and steam engines in the southwest of England.

And there's plenty for the kids to do as well.

On the River Otter, Otterton Mill is the ideal place to find out

about the art of traditional baking.

But if you ask me, the idyllic Devonshire buildings

are worth a visit alone.

The mill is featured in the Domesday Book,

so we know that there's been milling on-site here

for just over 1,000 years.

Although the buildings that we're currently surrounded by

have probably been here since Tudor times, so around 500 years old.

And it's not just the bricks and mortar that are full of heritage

here, so is the way the flour is made.

The current milling process probably hasn't changed for about 400 years.

And a little bit unusual relative to other mills in the UK

because the wheels themselves are inside a building

and there's a stream running right through the middle of the building.

But for me, the best thing about this place is the on-site cafe,

where you can taste what they make in the bakery.

Hmm! Lovely!

But sailing away with my number one spot is this -

why not leave the car behind for a few hours

and hop aboard a cruise boat?

You'll see some stunning scenery and wildlife, too.

In fact, the River Exe is home to thousands of migrating winter birds

and year-round residents.

WATER great way to see the coast.

Our delightful day out on the south coast is coming to an end,

but I'm not travelling all this way without sampling the delights

of a Devonshire cream tea.

Woohoo! Lovely!

OK, we know all about Blue Peter, but then there was a period

-when you did things about consumer affairs and so on.

-Hm-hm.

How was that?

Well, I never quite know how that came about

because I'd just left Blue Peter to do special assignments,

which was all the different cities in Europe, which was lovely.

And at that moment, Nationwide hadn't been on very long

and a young producer called Bernard Wiggins was apparently

coming out of the seventh-floor gents' loo

with the editor, Michael Bunce.

And Michael said, "We've got this new consumer unit programme,

"who shall we get?" And Bernard apparently said,

"Well, I hear Val Singleton's just left Blue Peter,

"shall we talk to her?"

And then there was a time when you were doing international affairs.

Oh, gosh. Yes, I went off to Iran to film

just after the ayatollah had come back

to film how the women were getting on in Iran.

And we got arrested by revolutionaries cos we were filming

without a permit.

And then another morning we were filming a mullah's funeral -

not the ayatollah but quite a high-powered mullah -

and we'd been told to meet in the university grounds.

And suddenly, we were sort of caught up in this tsunami

of young revolutionaries all with carnations in the top of their guns.

And we were just been swept along. And I just remember thinking,

"Whatever happens, I mustn't fall over," cos I knew if I fell,

-I would have been trampled.

-Yeah, you'd be trampled.

I knew. And my producer was being split up from me over there

and the sound recordist. And we kept saying, "Alan, where are you?"

And "Bob, where are you?"

-And incredibly, some Iranians in the crowd saw what had happened...

-Yeah.

..and managed to get us out to the side,

because I think where the mullah was being buried

-was about another two or three miles.

-Right.

That was a pretty scary moment, actually, but very interesting.

I mean, I love doing things like that, really interesting.

Do you think television in general has got better since, you know,

when you were doing Blue Peter? Or do you think it's got worse?

-Or do you think it's the same old stuff?

-No, no.

I think it's much more varied

and there's a huge amount of people on it

and a huge amount of programmes to watch.

And I get very upset when people say

there's nothing interesting to watch on television.

-There are some fantastic programmes.

-There are.

And the lovely thing now about these history programmes is that

whereas in the past somebody like me would have presented

somebody's history programme, now you've got the people who

-are the experts.

-Yeah.

-The Simon Schamas

-presenting it themselves.

-The proper people.

They really, really know their subject. This is lovely.

Thank you for a lovely day, Len. It's been really fun.

-Can we say cheers to each other?

-We can. We can indeed.

'Valerie Singleton, a true TV legend.

'And what a lovely lady, too.

'It's been an honour to relive her favourite childhood holiday

'here on the south coast.

'We've followed a path down memory lane...'

We're going up to the farm.

Where I used to go for the milk.

'..talked Blue Peter by the sea...'

Was you on it the time the elephant did a whoopsy?

That was pretty funny.

'..cooked up some very special memories of our own...'

-Hmm.

-Eh?

-Delicious.

Delicious. Val...

Can I have the camera? Valerie has just said, "Delicious."

'..and now we've topped it all off with a Devonshire tea.'

This has been a delight for me

because I had never been to this area,

and it is beautiful. And I will never ever, as long as I live,

forget coming over that hill in that little car

and then going down and we see the sea and the cliffs.

It was just magic.

It was absolutely stunning, you're right.

'Well, the food is SCONE but not forgotten.

'And as I know Valerie used to love horse riding on her family holidays,

'our last port of call is a local stables

'where I want to hand over a few souvenirs

'to remind her of our time together.'

It's been the most enjoyable day,

-it really has.

-I've had a lovely time. Thank you, Len, very much.

-I'd like to give you this. This is a little...

-Wow.

-..scrapbook.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Holiday Of My Lifetime.

Just as a few memories and photographs and things.

-Oh, how super.

-So...

-Oh, lovely.

'A photo album full of memories from

'our delightful day out in Devon.'

And that's really nice.

-Thank you so much.

-You're welcome.

'And that's not all I've got

'for the lovely Valerie.'

Now, knowing how great you were on Blue Peter at making things,

here is build-your-own 1950s caravan kit.

It's all in there.

And I know what, you want me to make it up and then get in touch with you

-in a couple of weeks and...

-Photograph.

-Photograph, OK.

-Look at that.

-Build-your-own 1950s caravan kit.

Well, at least today, having seen that one, I know...

-You've got the clue.

-I've got a clue, I know what it looks like.

Well, in the tradition of Blue Peter...

-..here is one I did earlier.

-Oh, look at that.

-SHE LAUGHS

-That's gorgeous.

Very, very sweet.

-That is so nice.

-All hand-painted.

It's even got the little beds inside, look at that.

It took me hours upon hours.

-What's it made from?

-It's made from tender loving care and patience,

-that's what it's made from.

-It's gorgeous. Thank you so much.

-And do you know, it's all the colours I love.

-There you are.

-I love lime green.

-And pastel shades.

-It's sweet.

'And there's one final thing for Valerie in Goodman's goody bag.

'Oh, look at this.'

-Ladram Bay.

-Ladram Bay.

-That's beautiful.

-In the days when I was there.

-There it is, yes,

and you can see how little there was.

That is absolutely fantastic.

That's what it was like when I was there before.

-Yeah, there's your car, that could well be you.

-Yes, absolutely.

-It probably is.

-Yeah.

-Look, the cars are all the same, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-All black and all...

-It's very lovely. A wonderful gift.

-Well, these are all memories...

-Thank you so much.

And I hope you've had as much fun as I have because...

-I have. I've had a lovely, lovely day.

-..it's just been great.

-Big kiss. Thank you very much.

-No, thank you.

It's been really, really nice, I've enjoyed it enormously.

-Come on, I'll take you back to your car.

-OK, OK.

-Wow, what a day.

-What a day.

So, it's time to wave goodbye to the rugged rocks

and say so long to the sea views that helped to make

the holiday of Valerie Singleton's lifetime so special.