SEVENTEENTH BOOK
Published 1980
BP Team: Simon Groom, Christopher Wenner, Tina Heath and introducing Sarah Greene. Oh yes. Sarah. Greene.
Cover: The team dress up in outfits donated to the Bring and Buy sale auction. Simon wears a Coldstream Guards uniform, Tina a Victorian dress and parasol, Chris a spacesuit from top New Wave pop star Sting.

Features: The opening photo pages include the hilarious item where the old bloke sticks his head behind a black curtain and operates a little puppet body in front of it, a la Reeves and Mortimer's Otis and Marvin... Chris Wenner climbs Television Centre's East Tower and then abseils back down; "As I shot past the 12th floor I saw a pair of big, brown eyes I could even recognise at 20 mph - lovely Maggie Philbin of Swap Shop."... An introduction to new star pets Maggie and Jim, the tortoises... The rather 'back to school' story of the Bayeux Tapestry... Helicopter rescue for Simon and Chris... Behind the scenes on Blue Peter, including a shot of Simon about to get changed, possibly from someone's private collection... Tina visits the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympics on expenses and on a cheaper day takes a tube to Westminster Abbey... The team travel to Egypt... Chris takes a look at a beautiful pair of ecclesiastical door knockers (as Groom psyches up to unleash his genius upon the world)... Chris goes hang gliding, as did every other Tv presenter at this time as we recall... Some drawing tips of the distinctly irrelevant variety... Competition Winners' flower pictures are presented to Her Maj at Westminster Cathedral...

Makes: More tinsel is pressed into service to make Christmas garlands
A recipe for dog biscuits called 'K9 Krunch' is enlivened by sticking a photo of the Doc's metal pooch onto a photo of Simon and Goldie.
A table football game in a make entitled 'Ee-aye-addio-we won the cup!' Now known, thanks to Friends, as 'fussball', oddly.

Historical Figure's Life Story in Pictures: The King of Clowns, Joey Grimaldi
Stories: The seemingly indestructible Paddington hangs in there.
Rubbish Mystery Story: The Case of The Lion in Venice. The tale of the theft of a golden lion statuette which features some great authentic 'Austrian' dialogue; "I am particularly interested in how zis liddle thing did not rust after so many years under water." He's a crook of course - gold doesn't rust. Aaah.

Notes: With short stayers Tina and Chris Wenner this annual rather lacks charisma and fails to capitalise on the new era feel hinted at by the book of the previous year. A few dodgy fillers and dry, educational material make it less than a classic. Page 18 however does print perhaps the most beautiful picture ever taken of a vision of shy loveliness and this is the sole reason for getting hold of this annual. Yep, it's Sarah Greene. Book 17 is a very common annual that shouldn't prove too hard to find - three pounds max, but you'd be well advised to hold out for the charity shop copy that's bound to turn up before too long.