Homesick Yvette
When Yvette Fielding got the Blue Peter gig, she had never been away from Manchester. Whisked away to a hotel and then shortly finding herself on a six-week summer expedition to the U.S.S.R., Yvette understandably got very homesick. The terror of performing an acrobatic display with the Moscow State Circus probably didn't help.

Mark's best friend
When Mark Curry was hired, the plan was to team him with one of Goldie's puppies and repeat the successful formula of male presenter and dog. Mark refused as he wasn't a doggy person. He also didn't want to be part of a double act, with people forever asking, 'Where's the dog?' As a result, Yvette got to look after Bonnie.

The Blue Peter Wildlife Garden
In April 1987 an area of industrial wasteland was chosen for the site of the Blue Peter Wildlife Garden. In the spring David Bellamy and the Greater London Ecology Unit helped transform the land with four ponds and a mini-woodland.

Green Blue Peter Badge
In November 1988 the show launched the Green Blue Peter Badge. They were awarded to people who had shown concern for the environment. Viewers who sent a letter, poem or drawing with an environmental theme could win one. Advice for would-be environmentalists was also given in The Blue Peter Green Book, published by BBC Books and Sainsburys in 1990.

Yvette's Award
In 1990 Yvette's popularity was recognised by viewers who voted her that year's Top Lady on TV at the S.O.S. Star Awards organised by the Saturday morning TV show Going Live, and presented by former Blue Peter host Sarah Greene. Yvette beat Kylie Minogue, Cilla Black and Victoria Wood.

Outstanding Endeavour Awards
In 1987 Blue Peter honoured Don Allum, who had spent 190 days in his small boat the QE3 rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and back.

In 1988 the show honoured Simon Marsh, aged 11 and Anthony Walters, aged 16, who had helped steer a school bus to safety in South Wales, after the driver had a heart attack. They were presented with the award on the 30th Anniversary show, with Valerie Singleton joining the team for a live OB from Prince Charles Hospital in Methyr Tydfil.

In 1989 the show honoured the boys of Emanuel School who had assisted the victims of the Clapham train crash on 12th December 1988.

Bye-bye Biddy
After a staggering 26 and a half years Biddy Baxter left the show in June 1988. She was succeeded by her Assistant Editor Lewis Bronze - later named Funky Lew by CBBC's Edd the Duck. (Well, that's what his chum Andi Peters reckons he said!)

Curry's kitchen
Mark Curry was very keen to make the programme seem spontaneous, and would often ad-lib. But he fiercely denies that his ineptitude in the kitchen was planned - he was naturally clumsy.

Blue Peter National Children's Fun Runs
In 1989, prompted by sports commentator David Coleman, Blue Peter launched a series of fun runs. Every year, after the London Marathon, many children had written to David asking him why they couldn't run in a race of their own. So, on 30th April 1989 at venues all over the country, 13,000 people ran three miles, raising �68,000 for the Sports Aid Foundation and children's charities. Mark, Caron, Yvette - and new boy John Leslie - took part at the run at the Victoria Park in Southampton.

York Minster Bosses
After the disastrous fire that ravaged York Minster on 9th July 1984, Blue Peter viewers were asked help restore the South Transept by designing bosses (elaborately carved lumps of oak that decorate the joints of the vaults in the ceiling). Six designs were chosen and on Friday 4th November 1988 the new bosses were unveiled in a ceremony attended by the Her Majesty The Queen, who spoke to all the winners.

Percy Thrower
In 1988, just before he died, Mark visited Percy Thrower in his nursing home and played him an especially prepared video of his time with the show. He also presented Percy with a Gold Blue Peter Badge, which Percy said was just as important to him as his M.B.E. and his Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society.

After his death, at the suggestion of viewers, a memorial garden was planted in the Blue Peter Garden. Two pink rose bushes named after him and two hardy fuchsias (Percy's favourite plant) were planted in his honour. A tribute also appeared in Blue Peter Book Twenty-four.

List of appeals and targets
1987 - Emergency Appeal T-Shirts for Mozambique
1987 - The Rags Appeal - Old clothes for Jet and ten other ponies for the disabled
1988 - The Great Blue Peter Bring and Buy Sale for Kampuchea

Ireland OB
On 8th June 1989 Blue Peter was presented entirely as an outside broadcast for the first time in its history. The show came live from Carrickfergus Castle in Northern Ireland, and the whole programme was devoted to Northern Ireland.