28th April 1983 - 29th June 1987
Born: 16th September 1955
Presented with Simon Groom, Peter Duncan, Sarah Greene, Michael Sundin, Mark Curry and Caron Keating.
"I'm a great coward and I also don't like heights so it was quite amusing for me to see this person going 'How high is it? Right I'll go up it, where's my helmet?' I'm really not that in real life, not at all."
Janet trained as an actress before turning her talents to presenting. Her first screen credit was playing 'Susie, Marge's friend' in an episode of The Sweeney, but her big break was as Tika in the Doctor Who story The Horns of Nimon in 1979.
In 1982 Janet went on to present Jigsaw, the children's puzzle series alongside Adrian Hedley, the animated Jig, Mr Nosey Bonk and a pre-Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy as one-half of the O-Men. it was this show which brought Janet to the attention of the Blue Peter production team, who were impressed by her presenting and acting skills.
But Janet's appearance on the show wasn't the first time that she had appeared on television with Simon Groom, Peter Duncan and Sarah Greene. They had all appeared on the 1982 All-star Record Breakers show, with Janet appearing in a chorus line of lovely lady presenters.
During her time on the show Janet impressed fellow presenters with her ability to learn the scripts and cope with last-minute changes. "Janet could learn the bible if she had to," remembers Mark Curry.
But it is for her pluck and courage during her free fall jumps with the RAF that Janet is best remembered, especially when she returned to her training after injuring her pelvis.
Janet left Blue Peter to have her second child. Rumour has it that she was sacked because she wasn't married to the father, but in actual fact it was Janet's decision to leave. The resulting bairn in question also wasn't Sophie Ellis Bextor.
In recent years, Janet has returned to broadcasting. She's interviewed Tom Baker for Loose Ends and appeared as a guest on Channel Five's topical discussion show The Wright Stuff.
She also returned to Blue Peter for The Quest and Christmas at the Club Blue Peter.
Top Blue Peter moment: Returning after her accident to break the women's European free fall record.
