John Hunter Blair (4 August 1903 – 31 December 1964) was a British television producer. He was the creator of ''

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC ...

'', and was its producer from 1958 to 1961. Asked by Owen Read, head of BBC children's television, to devise a programme for children who were now too old for '' Watch with Mother'', the programme began on 16 October 1958 and lasted for fifteen minutes.Allison Pearso
"ARTS / The Age of Innocence"
''The Independent'', 10 October 1993 John Wauchope Hunter Blair was born in 1903 to Ethel wife of Major-General Walter Hunter Blair. He attended the Royal Naval College in Osbourne and Dartmouth. After studying at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

, he did an MA in Modern History at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is Colleges of the University of Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title for ...

, before becoming a school teacher. Hunter Blair went to work at the University of Riga in 1933 and worked in radio for the Latvian State Broadcasting Service. In 1940 he moved to Australia and worked for the Australian Broadcasting Service, before returning to the UK in 1947 and working for the BBC. Illness forced Hunter Blair to leave ''Blue Peter'' in 1961.

References

* British television show creators 1903 births 1964 deaths Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford BBC television producers {{UK-tv-bio-stub