IN FOCUS Pulling the strings behind Andy Pandy
National treasure When Leila Williams (top) presented the first episode of Blue Peter in 1958, it was met with little fanfare. But the show soon became a cherished institution, with animals like Petra the dog (bottom) beloved by young viewers
Andy Pandy made his television debut in the summer of 1950. His strange child-like form was the very personal creation of a rising star of BBC Children’s Television: Freda Lingstrom.
"Faced with a ratings crisis, the BBC realised that eight to 12 year olds wanted action on their screens – not Jane Eyre serials"
Lingstrom first sketched out the puppet’s design on the kitchen table of her Kent cottage. Later, she sent them off to the US Patent Office, and these three original drawings can still be seen online today. They show the same figure which would go on to appear on British screens hundreds of times over the following two decades and earn its place in the pantheon of children’s television stars.