25th January 1990 - 26th February 1996

Born: 28th June 1960

Presented with Yvette Fielding, John Leslie, Anthea Turner, Tim Vincent, Stuart Miles and Katy Hill.

Diane is a trained actress with a degree in Theatre Arts. After graduating she spent six years travelling in rep, performing in such plays as Pygmalion and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

After a stint on the children's series Corners followed by a period on the dole she was offered both a job on Blue Peter and a nine-month contract on Coronation Street. Diane decided to go for Blue Peter because it offered more variety.

Diane became the show's first ever black presenter and during her time on the show was equally adept at reporting on both the lighter and more serious subjects - one very moving and memorable report featured Diane in Auschwitz.

After a six year stint, during which she became the third longest-serving female presenter (after Valerie Singleton and Lesley Judd), Diane left to present Songs of Praise, a job she enjoys because she is a Christian.

Diane does a lot of work for charity. She is Vice-President of NCH Action Trust for Children and Patron of many other organisations including The Oasis Trust, Mildmay Hospital and Jeans for Genes. She was also the only television celerity to be asked to sit on the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Committee, and she is very proud to be one of the trustees for the BBC's long running Children In Need Appeal.

Early in 2003 Diane's book How to Succeed as a Single Parent was published by Hodder and Stoughton.

Top Blue Peter moment: Surviving the cold in an ice hole in Norway.