Blue Peter Badge

I’ve been wearing my Blue Peter Badge in bed. Sod it. If you had just been awarded a Blue Peter badge, you’d be wearing it in bed too. I was trying to explain what it means to Belgian friends, and the best explanation is that it’s like an award from the queen, or an honorary degree from the University of Life. OK I’m overstating it a little bit, but it’s still a big deal. The last time I was given a badge I was in the cub scouts.

Last week I got a call from Nikki at the BBC who was organising a race across London for the presenters of the 50 year old kids TV programme and asked me to help with my veg powered rally car. To my surprise (based on a long love-hate personal history with the BBC), Nikki turned out to be really lovely, very genuine and professional (and really cute too).

To start with, Helen, the presenter I was helping, and I had to scavenge some grease from restaurants along Wanstead high Street, while Andy, another presenter, had to find somewhere to charge up his electric car, before we raced across London to the BBC.

It was a really close call with only 4 car lengths in it at the finishing line, and we had a sprint finish into the Blue Peter garden, but importantly Helen and I won!!! The programme goes out on the 14^th of April on BBC1. Watch out for my wonder-woman spin.