Anita West (born 1935) is a British actress and former television presenter.

''Blue Peter''

On 7 May 1962, she joined the British children's television show '' Blue Peter'' as co-host, following the departure of

Leila Williams Leila Williams (born 1937) is a former British beauty queen and television presenter. She was one of the original presenters of ''Blue Peter'', working on the programme from 1958 to 1962. Career In 1957 Williams won the Miss Great Britain title. ...

. She remained with the programme for only sixteen editions, the last being shown on 3 September 1962, making her one of the programme's shortest-serving presenters (other than stand-ins Ann Taylor,

Tony Hart Norman Antony Hart (15 October 1925 – 18 January 2009),Debrett's People of Today 2008, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, 2007. known professionally as Tony Hart, was an English artist best known for his work in educating children in art through his role ...

and Sandra Michaels). She voluntarily resigned from the series because of her imminent divorce (in 1962) from the musician

Ray Ellington Henry Pitts Brown (17 March 1916 – 27 February 1985), known professionally as Ray Ellington, was an English singer, drummer and bandleader. He is best known for his appearances on ''The Goon Show'' from 1951 to 1960. The Ray Ellington Quartet h ...

and her own worries of the inappropriateness for a presenter of a children's programme. West never divulged her reasons for leaving to the producers, who deemed her "unprofessional" for simply walking out on the show. Anita was married to Ray Ellington for six years; the couple had a son,

Lance A lance is a spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior or cavalry soldier (lancer). In ancient and medieval warfare, it evolved into the leading weapon in cavalry charges, and was unsuited for throwing or for repeated thrusting, unlike s ...

, and a daughter, Nina. The length of time West presented ''Blue Peter'' was so short that, for several decades, she was not officially recognised as a ''Blue Peter'' presenter, only being added to the official list of presenters upon the show's fortieth anniversary in 1998. In contrast, her replacement,

Valerie Singleton Valerie Singleton (born 9 April 1937) is an English television and radio presenter best known as a regular presenter of the popular children's series ''Blue Peter'' from 1962 to 1972. She also presented the BBC Radio 4 '' PM'' programme for t ...

, ahead of whom West had come in earlier auditions, became the show's longest-serving female presenter until

Konnie Huq Kanak Asha "Konnie" Huq (; born 17 July 1975) is a British television and radio presenter, screenwriter and children's author. She became the longest-serving female presenter of the British children's television programme ''Blue Peter'', prese ...

Later career

After leaving ''Blue Peter'', West appeared in such shows as '' Space: 1999'', ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' as Doctor Hilary Maddox, ''

The Saint The Saint may refer to: Fiction * Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations: ** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...

'' and '' Lovejoy''. She also briefly returned to ''Blue Peter'' in 1998 to appear in its pantomime. In the 1970s, she was a PR hostess at the Palm Beach Casino Club in Mayfair. She appeared in the films ''

Impact Impact may refer to: * Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period * Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US Science and technology * Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event * Impac ...

'', ''Shadow of Fear'', ''

Ring of Spies ''Ring of Spies'' (also known as ''Ring of Treason'') is a 1964 British spy film directed by Robert Tronson and starring Bernard Lee, William Sylvester and Margaret Tyzack. It is based on the real-life case of the Portland Spy Ring, whose activ ...

'' and ''Joey Boy''.

References

External links

Anita West

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

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