episodes which are otherwise now lost, including The Daleks' Master Plan, in which Purves himself had appeared. Dogs have featured in Purves's career since his Blue Peter days when he was given charge of one of the "Blue Peter Pets", Petra, a German Shepherd cross. Purves also presented the spin-off Blue Peter Special Assignment. Later television appearances After leaving Blue Peter, Purves presented Stopwatch and We're Going Places, then had spells as the front man for darts events on the BBC and as presenter of the long-running BBC1 motorcycle trials series Kick Start. His later TV career has included cameo appearances in episodes of the soap opera EastEnders and sitcom The Office. In The Office episode "Training Day" Purves played himself in a customer care training video that David Brent and his staff were being shown (Purves is in fact a qualified business trainer and a motivational speaker). Purves has had a 40-year association with television coverage of major dog shows such as Crufts and his 2007 appearance as a judge on the reality TV programme The Underdog Show. He also writes for the dog press and regularly presents at dog award shows. Marking his 70th birthday, his 2009 autobiography Here's One I Wrote Earlier was released at The Kennel Club. Theatre Purves has worked as a pantomime director and has directed over 30 pantomime productions. In December 2012, he portrayed Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at Harpenden Public Halls: this was the first time he performed in pantomime since 1985. He is also an after-dinner speaker. Personal life Purves lived for a time in the Bilton area of Rugby, Warwickshire, and then Northamptonshire. He now lives in the Suffolk village of Sibton with his wife, the West End actress Kathryn Evans. He was previously married from 1962 to 1982 to a Leeds-born playwright, Gilly Fraser (actual name Gillian Emmett). In 2008, Valerie Singleton revealed she had enjoyed a "brief fling" with Purves when he was "between marriages". Purves is an atheist. In December 2022 Purves received an honorary fellowship from the University of Central Lancashire. A university spokesman said his "inspirational career" had shown "a significant contribution in services to television, in acting and presenting". Credits TV career Doctor Who (46 episodes, 1965–1966) Blue Peter (1967–1978) Blue Peter Special Assignment (1977–1981) Stopwatch (40 episodes, 1978–1981) We're Going Places (23 episodes, 1978–1980) Kick Start (1981–1992) Audio dramas References External links