The very concept of ‘health and safety’ didn’t seem to exist for children’s TV producers in the 70s and 80s. Their guiding principle seemed to be along the lines of ‘it’ll probably be fine’ as they subjected the Blue Peter presenters to all manner of hair-raising stunts and scrapes.
Many of us of a certain age remember the time that Blue Peter presenter John Noakes scaled Nelson’s Column on a rickety ladder without a safety harness whilst wearing flares (and you can watch it again here).
But we don’t remember watching this clip of fellow presenter Peter Duncan cleaning the clock face of Big Ben (ok, pedants, The Elizabeth Tower), similarly unharnessed.
Thanks to Ripper for sharing on Twitter, although we fully understand if you can’t bear to watch…
BBC presenters had cojones of steel back in the day – John Noakes proved that in his climb to the top of Nelson’s column – but Peter Duncan gained massive respect for this in 1980…#london #history #bluepeter pic.twitter.com/31fWhmwG7T
— ℝ (@The_East_End) October 8, 2025
Why have our palms gone all sweaty? Others had similar reactions.
1.
Not that I’d want to do it, but I am pretty sure that wouldn’t be allowed nowadays! I get the shakes just watching Fred Dibnah!
— Ken Goodwin (@KenGoodwinITV) October 8, 2025
2.
utterly terrifying!
— Carol Decker (@caroldecker) October 8, 2025
3.
Don’t try this one at home kids!!
— Mark Todd (@markatodd) October 8, 2025
4.
Jesus Christ… I can’t even watch
— David Holt (@CanOfWorms777) October 8, 2025
5.
I remember that & Noakes. You don’t forget these things, you just wake up screaming about them.
I assume the salary was good because NONE of it would have been spent on a pension scheme.
To be fair, he had a t-shirt on, which would have offered protection had the worse happened. pic.twitter.com/ljljoz1E57— All about Steve (@1StevieKilner) October 9, 2025
6.
The thing that makes this 100 times worse is that the rope and seat look like they were made 50 years ago.
— User Name (@uninspiredcup) October 8, 2025
7.
I couldn’t get past 19 seconds.
— Kathleen Cruddas (@CruddasKathleen) October 8, 2025
8.
Duncan: “You kind of forget where you are for a minute”
Bloke: “Yeah, well don’t…”
Lol.
— John Gerard (@JohnGerard5) October 8, 2025
9.
I’d forgotten that Peter Duncan had done this. And not only the men, Janet Ellis did a record breaking skydive in 1987,although this had been delayed, due to her breaking her pelvis during training in 1984. It seems that presenters were either tougher or foolhardy in those days
— simon price (@irelandprice1) October 8, 2025
10.
Jesus. My balls shrank to the size of peas just watching that
— Breaktheblob (@Breaktheblob) October 8, 2025
11.
The sound of that rope creaking…
— Neil (@Neil84048) October 8, 2025
12.
Yeah nah. https://t.co/xUtxdKYOhq
— simon evans (@TheSimonEvans) October 8, 2025
13.
Not a f’in chance https://t.co/Vm5oORbLww
— Michael Carr (@Spike1887) October 8, 2025
14.
Fuck…….and I simply cannot stress this enough…….THAT. https://t.co/QYR6Yk0U1c
— All about Steve (@1StevieKilner) October 8, 2025
15.
https://t.co/WhxDx8FbiU pic.twitter.com/uErmG92ue2
— Jon Bell (@JonBell61123722) October 8, 2025
16.
As a man who can’t look over a hotel balcony this is insane https://t.co/tO78uhoN0g
— Lee (@LeeJ2711) October 8, 2025
17.
Fuck that for a game of soldiers https://t.co/dqqe3XQSyj
— Ryan (@Ryan01020304061) October 8, 2025
Source @The_East_End Image Screengrab
