Shep (British dog) facts for kids

Shep (born May 1, 1971 – died January 17, 1987) was a very well-known dog from the British TV show Blue Peter. He was a smart and energetic Border Collie dog. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) bought Shep to join the show. He took the place of another Blue Peter dog named Patch, who was one of Petra's puppies. Shep became the main Blue Peter dog after Petra passed away in 1977.

Shep's Time on Blue Peter

Shep is famous for being almost always with Blue Peter presenter John Noakes. Viewers in Britain loved watching their adventures together. Shep was a very lively dog, and John Noakes often had to hold him back. John's famous words, "Get down, Shep!", became a popular saying. A music group called The Barron Knights even released a song with that title! Shep left Blue Peter in June 1978, at the same time John Noakes left the show.

Shep's Other TV Appearances

Besides Blue Peter, Shep also starred with John Noakes in another TV series. This show was called Go With Noakes. They appeared together in six seasons of this show, from 1976 to 1980.

When John Noakes left Blue Peter on June 26, 1978, the BBC made a special offer. They allowed him to keep Shep, because Shep had lived with John since his first TV appearance. Even though Shep lived with John, the BBC always legally owned the dog. This meant John could not use Shep for any advertising or business deals. The BBC paid John money to cover all of Shep's costs from the Blue Peter budget. As part of the deal to keep Shep, John agreed to continue the rule about no advertising.

The End of an Era

Shep passed away in 1987. John Noakes often became very emotional when people asked him about Shep. He even cried on a TV show called The Weakest Link when the host, Anne Robinson, asked him about his beloved dog.