BBC test card girl unrecognisable 40 years after iconic role

ok.co.uk:

The famous 'test card' girl from the BBC, Carole Hersee, is now unrecognisable after avoiding the spotlight for 40 years. We all remember the iconic 'test card' featuring a young girl playing noughts and crosses with a puppet clown named Bubbles.This image, known as Test Card F, J, W and X, was often shown when there were no live programmes on-air.

The girl in the photo was Carole Hersee, who was just 8 years old when the picture was taken.This image became one of the most recognised worldwide, making Carole the person with the longest screen time in British TV history.

Fast forward to today, and Carole, now 64, looks completely different. She holds the record for the most airplay in the country, with an impressive 70,000 hours of screen time - that's like being on air non-stop for eight years!

Even though the Test Cards stopped airing in 1998 due to 24-hour programming, Carole has remained in the public eye. In 2022, she appeared on the popular BBC panel show QI to chat about her unique experience.