Paul McCartney has won countless awards, but he says he has finally “made it” after being presented with perhaps the greatest accolade of all: a gold Blue Peter badge.

On receiving the badge, which is shaped like the ship logo of the children’s television programme, the former Beatle said: “That is beautiful … I will wear it with great pride. Yes! I made it!”
McCartney also declared that he “doesn’t really know” how to write songs. When presenter Lindsey Russell asked him to share tips for budding musicians, he replied: “I have a songwriting class, and the first thing I say to them is, ‘Look, I don’t really know how to do this.’ At first they kind of look at me, but when you think about it, there is no formula. I know how to write one of my songs, but I can’t say, ‘You do it that way,’ because it’s a very personal thing. The advice is to just do whatever it is you’re doing … a lot!”

McCartney can be seen receiving his badge on Blue Peter on CBBC on 7 February at 5.30pm. The show’s editor, Ewan Vinnicombe, said: “Sir Paul McCartney has inspired generations of Blue Peter viewers to love music and be creative – a core value of Blue Peter.”
The BBC children’s show celebrated its 60th anniversary in late October. It is famed for “here’s one I made earlier” crafting segments such as the Thunderbirds Tracy Island, as well as for classic bloopers such as Lulu the elephant going to the loo all over the studio floor and former presenter John Noakes scaling the side of Nelson’s Column in London on a wobbly ladder without a safety harness.

Gold badges are the programme’s highest award, given out rarely for either bravery or services to society, and only to those considered role models to young people. Previous winners include Ed Sheeran, JK Rowling, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen and David Attenborough. It has become tradition, too, to give every presenter one during their final show. Two Blue Peter studio dogs, Bonnie and Endal, have also won gold badges for their longstanding work.

theguardian