Later Work
In October 1973, Singleton joined Nationwide as the show's "Consumer Unit" presenter with Richard Stilgoe, later becoming one of the main hosts of the show. She left in 1978 to present the BBC's late night news programme Tonight, replacing Sue Lawley. She hosted many other programmes, notably a ten year stint on Radio 4's PM and BBC Two's The Money Programme. During her period on PM she made headlines when she threw a glass of water in the face of her co-presenter, Hugh Sykes while on air. When she quit Radio 4's PM in 1993, she presented a travel programme for ITV and is now a regular travel writer for several national publications. She also appeared as herself in the BBC TV comedy series Citizen Smith.
Singleton was awarded the OBE for her services to children's television, in 1994. She still makes occasional guest appearances on Blue Peter.
In the 1990s she presented a popular quiz on Channel 4 - Backdate. She was an early enthusiast and patron of the painter Jack Vettriano. In 2006, Singleton made a series of tongue-in-cheek 'makes' in the style of Blue Peter for VintageLadyBird to coincide with the release of the Ladybird Book for Boys And Girls, Things To Make & Do With Valerie Singleton. In 2005, the story of Singleton's move out of London to Dorset and the sale of the flat she'd lived in for over forty years was reported in The Times. According to Metro Newspaper in 2007, Singleton intended to publish her biography in time for Blue Peter's fiftieth anniversary in October 2008. According to the article, the book would reveal "a few things that will shock". The book is yet to be published.
Singleton was seen on BBC Television for much of 2009 fronting a campaign of Infomercials to promote the BBC's iPlayer.
Read more about this topic: Valerie Singleton
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