By Simon Murphy PUBLISHED: 20:04 EST, 15 June 2013 | UPDATED: 03:24 EST, 17 June 2013 Watching Blue Peter after school was a rite of passage for generations of children who dreamed of being awarded one of the show's iconic badges. But now the days of learning to make toys and games using ‘sticky-back plastic’ and toilet rolls appear to be on the way out. The numbers watching the show have fallen by two-thirds since it was relegated from BBC1 to the Corporation’s’ dedicated children’s channel CBBC last year. Hugely popular: John Noakes, Valerie Singleton and Peter Purves in the early 1970s
@highlight
Show was once watched by eight million - now averages just 100,000
@highlight
Decision to drop it from BBC sparked controversy at the time
@highlight
Today is 50th anniversary of famous badge
@highlight
Former presenter Valerie Singleton admits it could be time for it to end
‘It is sad but all good things  come to an end eventually and maybe it’s finally time to say that @placeholder has had its day.