John Noakes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Noakes
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Noakes with Shep
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| Born |
John Wallace Bottomley
6 March 1934 Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
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| Died | 28 May 2017 (aged 83) |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter, television personality |
| Years active | 1965–2013 |
| Spouse(s) |
Vicky Noakes
(m. 1965) |
John Noakes (born John Wallace Bottomley; 6 March 1934 – 28 May 2017) was a famous English television presenter and actor. He was best known for co-presenting the BBC children's show Blue Peter in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the longest-serving presenter on the show, working there for over 12 years.
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Early Life and Career
John Noakes was born John Bottomley in Halifax, England. He went to Shelf Council School and then Rishworth School. At school, he was very good at cross country running and gymnastics.
When he was 16, John joined the Royal Air Force as a mechanic. The next year, his mother married Alfred "Alfie" Noakes, and John decided to take his stepfather's last name. After the RAF, he worked for BOAC as an aircraft engine fitter.
Becoming an Actor
John Noakes wanted to become an actor. He took lessons at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He paid for his lessons by cleaning and working as a hotel liftboy.
He first appeared on stage as a dog and a clown. In 1964, he was in an episode of the TV show Redcap. He also acted in a play called Chips with Everything in New York City. Later, he returned to the UK and acted in plays in rep in Surrey. This is where he met his future wife, Vicky.
Blue Peter Adventures
Joining the Show
John Noakes got the chance to join Blue Peter in 1965. The show's producer, Biddy Baxter, needed a third presenter. She saw John acting in a play and thought he would be perfect. He joined Christopher Trace and Valerie Singleton on the show.
In 1967, Peter Purves joined, creating the famous team of 'Val, John, and Pete'. John Noakes was known for his Yorkshire accent, which was unusual for BBC presenters at the time.
The Action Man
On Blue Peter, John Noakes was known as the "action man." He took on many exciting and daring challenges. Some of his most famous moments include:
- Changing a huge billboard for the movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks in London.
- Doing a free-fall parachute jump with the RAF Falcons display team. His sled also turned over while bobsleighing, which injured him.
- In 1973, he set a record for the longest free-fall parachute jump by a British civilian.
- In 1977, he climbed the 51-meter-high Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square without help. This moment has been called one of the greatest in children's TV history!
Besides Blue Peter, John also hosted Disney Time and Junior Choice on BBC Radio 1. He also had his own show called Go With Noakes with his dog, Shep. In this show, they traveled around Britain and tried many different activities.
In 1998, John joined Valerie Singleton and Peter Purves for a special show celebrating 40 years of Blue Peter. In 2000, they all came together again to dig up a time capsule they had buried in 1971.
His Dog, Shep
John Noakes was given a special responsibility for one of the Blue Peter pets. His first dog was Patch, the son of Petra, the first Blue Peter dog. After Patch sadly passed away in 1971, he got a new Border Collie puppy named Shep.
Shep was very energetic, and John's attempts to control him led to his famous catchphrase: "Get down, Shep!"
When John left Blue Peter, the BBC offered to let him keep Shep. Shep had lived with John since he first appeared on TV. However, the BBC legally owned Shep. After John left the show, there was a disagreement about who should pay for Shep's care. Shep eventually went to live with Edith Menzies. John later appeared in dog food commercials with a dog that looked like Shep, but was named Skip.
Leaving Blue Peter
John Noakes left Blue Peter on 26 June 1978, after 12 years.
Later Life and Work
In 1979, John Noakes wrote a children's book called The Flight of the Magic Clog. It was about an adventure with a giant magic flying clog.
In 1982, John and his wife tried to sail around the world, but their boat was damaged in a hurricane. In 1984, they tried again and stopped in Majorca, Spain. They loved it so much that they decided to stay there and started a boat rental business.
In 1983, John presented The Dinosaur Trail, a seven-part show for Children's ITV.
In 1987, John appeared on a BBC show called Fax! and sadly shared that Shep had passed away three days before.
In the 2000s, John Noakes became a language tutor, teaching Romance languages. He also appeared on several reality TV shows, including I'm Famous and Frightened! and Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver. He also appeared on game shows like The Weakest Link and Pointless Celebrities.
Personal Life
John Noakes married his wife, Vicky, in 1965. They lived in Majorca, Spain, from 1984.
In 2015, John Noakes was reported missing from his home. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease some years before. He was found safely later that day.
John Noakes passed away on 28 May 2017 in Palma, Spain. Half of his ashes were scattered from a firework rocket at his old school, Rishworth School. He wanted the other half of his ashes to be scattered in Majorca.
