Paul McCartney to receive gold Blue Peter badge: 'I've made it'

Only a few Gold Blue Peter Badges are awarded every year

Paul McCartney performs in concert at the American Airlines Arena on 7 July, 2017 in Miami, Florida. ((Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images))

Sir Paul McCartney helped to revolutionise pop music with The Beatles, with his band Wings and as a solo artist, selling over 700 million albums in the process... but it has taken a Blue Peter award for him to finally declare he’s “made it”.

The 76 year-old icon will appear on CBBC at 5.30pm to receive the prestigious Gold Badge on Blue Peter this Thursday, 7 February.

Only a few Gold Blue Peter Badges are awarded every year. Other eminent names to have received the award include The Queen, Sir David Attenborough, Steven Spielberg, JK Rowling and Madonna.

Asked what advice he could offer to aspiring singers and songwriters, the former Beatle responded: “There is no formula. I know how to write one of my songs but I can’t say ‘you do it that way’, because it’s a very personal thing. So the advice really is to just do whatever it is you’re doing… a lot.”

Blue Peter recently passed its 60th anniversary by launching the Gold Badge Walk in Salford, to celebrate the influential figures who have received the honour.

“That is beautiful, that’s a great badge,” McCartney said. “I will wear it with pride.”