SCIENCE WRITER AND ‘BLUE PETER’ EDITOR HONOURED

Biddy Baxter and Nigel Henbest to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Leicester

The producer of BBC Television’s ‘Blue Peter’ for many years and an internationally acclaimed writer on astronomy and space and are to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Leicester on Friday 27th January 2012 at De Montfort Hall.

Joan Maureen (Biddy) Baxter MBE, the producer and editor who turned the BBC children’s programme ‘Blue Peter’ into the success it has been for the past five decades, was born in Leicester and educated at what was then the Wyggeston Girls’ Grammar School.

Following a degree at St Mary’s College, Durham, Biddy Baxter began her BBC career in 1955 as a radio trainee studio manager.   In 1962 she became producer of ‘Blue Peter’ and, with Director Edward Barnes, she began the process that was to transform the programme into a national institution.  In 1965 she became Programme Editor and was honoured with an MBE in 1981.

Nigel Henbest is well-known worldwide for his books, articles and award-winning television productions popularising astronomy and space.  

A graduate of the University of Leicester, where he studied astrophysics, he went on to research radio astronomy at Cambridge.

Nigel Henbest was co-founder of the television production company Pioneer Productions, with screen credits on BBC Television, Channel 4, the Learning and Discovery Channels, as well as in the US and Australia.

With Heather Couper – a fellow University of Leicester graduate and Honorary Graduate - he writes a regular column for The Independent and also writes for the science magazine, BBC Focus.   He has been Astronomy Consultant for New Scientist, Editor of the Journal of British Astronomical Association, and Media Consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

Biddy Baxter MBE will receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws at 1pm on Friday 27th January at De Montfort Hall, Leicester.

She said, “Nothing could thrill me more than to be honoured by the University of Leicester!

“The degree ceremony in the De Montfort Hall will bring back vivid memories of the Wyggeston Grammar School for Girls’ annual Dancing Demonstrations.  The last time I walked the length of the hall and climbed up the rostra on to the platform, I was dressed as Britannia complete with trident, plumed helmet and metal breastplate and wearing a very tight long skirt made from a Union flag.  I felt and probably looked absolutely ridiculous! 

“As a junior member of the Little Theatre I adored the build up to our performances, the read throughs, costume fittings and the hope of photographs and a review in the Leicester Mercury or the Mail.  One of my fellow actors was a very quiet boy called Joe Orton – no indication then that he would become the most famous playwright of his generation!

“Leicester was my life until I left for university and I have very fond memories of all my Leicester years.”

Nigel Henbest will receive the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science at 4pm on Friday 27th January at De Montfort Hall, Leicester.

He said, “I am absolutely delighted to accept the Honorary Doctorate from my alma mater, the University of Leicester, which helped launch me on my career as a science populariser – twice over!

“The University of Leicester’s innovative, flexible and forward-looking curriculum for undergraduates attracted me as an A-level student (even though the Head of Science at my school recommended I should apply to Cambridge “where, Henbest, you will rub shoulders with your peers!”)

“In fact, I found my peers at Leicester, both in the vibrant student life – where I ended up running the Astronomical Society with my life-long friend from Leicester days, Heather Couper – and in the inspiration from the Departments of Astronomy and Physics (which in those days were distinct). In fact, my first published article – on a visit to the sixteenth century Danish observatory on the island of Hven – appeared in the magazine of the student Physics Society!

“But no previous visit to Leicester has given me anything like the joy and excitement of this invitation to return to the University which first directed my feet on the path to astronomy, to public outreach – and to the stars.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Robert Burgess said: “We chose Biddy Baxter and Nigel Henbest because they are excellent communicators in their chosen fields.  Biddy Baxter is a household name, courtesy of producing the ‘Blue Peter’ TV programme, while Nigel Henbest is well known worldwide for communicating complex ideas in astrophysics to a very wide audience.  They have both won many awards for their work in television and are both people associated with Leicester in the case of Biddy Baxter and the University of Leicester in the case of Nigel Henbest.”