DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME: The Marvellous World of WALTER CORNELIUS | BBC Archive presents...

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Latvian strongman Walter Cornelius made quite an impact when he first appeared on Blue Peter in 1967 - performing a stunt that saw presenters Christopher Trace and John Noakes batter his iron body with sledgehammers.

After that, the amiable Mr Cornelius became a firm favourite with viewers and over the years he returned to the show several times to perform a variety of bizarre stunts - usually alongside Blue Peter's resident daredevil John Noakes, the two kindred spirits sparking up something of a televisual bromance.

When he wasn't defying death on children's television, Walter worked as a lifeguard at the Lido in his adopted home of Peterborough. He became known in the city as the 'Birdman of Peterborough', due to his (unsuccessful) attempt to cross the River Nene on a pair of homemade wings for charity.

Walter died in 1983, aged 60. His 'Birdman' silhouette now adorns the weather vane atop the Peterborough Lido.

Needless to say, DON'T TRY ANY OF THIS STUFF AT HOME!


00:00 Breaking a concrete block on his head with a sledgehammer
00:15 Balancing on a tractor tyre, playing the harmonica
01:45 Being cruelly upstaged by a budgie
01:54 Bending an iron bar
02:21 Hammering a nail into a block of wood with his bare hands
02:39 Peter Purves (165 lbs) jumps on Walter from a great height
02:52 John Noakes (130 lbs) jumps on Walter performing a wrestler's bridge pose
03:13 Lifting a mini with Val and John in it
04:00 Balancing a dumbbell (133 lbs) on his nose, playing the harmonica
04:44 Wrester's bridge pose, over sharp knife, while being hit in the torso with sledgehammers
05:49 Attempt to fly across the River Nene
06:30 Walter flying off into the sunset



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