Pebble Mill at One – last episode, 1986

photo by Mel Stevens, no reproduction without permission

 

This photo of the last episode of Pebble Mill at One in 1986, features left to right: TV chef Michael Smith pouring the champagne; Magnus Magnusson; Josephine Buchan; Paul Coia; Jan Leeming; Marian Foster; David Seymour; John Eley (the Cooking Canon); David Freeman (from Radio Oxford); and Bob Langley. The floor manager in the foreground is Debbie Hood.

 

 

 

 

Paul Brighton

Radio WM Presenter, Paul Brighton

(The following obituary was written by Paul Brighton’s friend and colleague, Tim Beech. Paul sadly died in 23 Nov 2021).
I am very sad to report that the former BBC WM presenter Paul Brighton has died at the age of only 62.

Paul was part of a Golden Age for WM in the 1990s during which he presented the “Coming Home” programme. He had previously produced Ed Doolan.

A highly intelligent man, Paul was originally a Wolverhampton Grammar School boy who went on to study at Cambridge. He was fascinated by politics, serving at one time as a local councillor, and he continued to satisfy his love for journalism and broadcasting as the Executive Principal Lecturer and Head of Media and Film at Wolverhampton University, a post he held for several years.

I got to know Paul extremely well during the many years he sat opposite the WM sports team, and later also had the privilege of giving a number of talks to support his course at Wolverhampton, as well as partnering a student placement programme for some of his cohort while I was managing BBC Radio Shropshire.

He is gone far too soon at a young age and his death will sadden a great many former colleagues and friends who enjoyed both his bright company and his great intelligence for many years. RIP.

Tim Beech

Carol Parks

Photo by John Greening. Included, left to right: Belinda Cherrington, Carol Parks, Jane Barton

 

This poem was written by Make Up Designer, Gill Hughes, in response to the death, in Autumn 2021, of drama Producer, Carol Parks. Gill worked with Carol on many drama productions.

THE END
It doesn’t happen to us
Not our generation.
The Go-Getters
The Movers
The Shakers
The ones who were going to change the World
Not to us
The Hippies, The Long Hair
The Pill, Sex, Rock and Roll
That was us
Our journey is not yet done
The Script not yet finished
Girl Power, Emancipation
There are some paragraphs to unfold
Before the Full Stop
THE END
Gill Hughes, Make Up Designer

Showaddywaddy

Photos by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission

These photos by cameraman Bhasker Solanki are from a Showaddywaddy performance at BBC Pebble Mill.

The camera operator in the lower photo is the late Bob Hubbard, and seated next to him is Robin Sunderland, also a camera operator, probably then an assistant.

Robin has kept the hat safe all these years, and here he is with it in 2021.

All Memories Great and Small

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

Here is an article from the Darlington and Stockton Times. Costume designer, Janice Rider and make-up artist, Vivien Oldham travelled up to the north east to attend the ‘All Creatures’ book signing event.
“SCORES of people attended an author event and book signing for the recent second edition of “All Memories Great and Small” by Oliver Crocker, last Saturday.
The book is about the making of the original, and much loved, BBC television series “All Creatures Great and Small”, based on the James Herriot books of Thirsk vet Alf Wight.
Channel Five have recently remade the show, and the second series is mid-way through its run.
From the original series, Mr Crocker brought along Ali Lewis, who played a young Rosie Herriot, Paul Lyon, who was young Jimmy Herriot in series four, and Jessica Sewell, who was Mary, granddaughter to Thora Hird in two episodes, to the signing at White Rose Books in Thirsk. Accompanying them were costume designer Janice Rider and make-up artist Vivien Oldham. In support was Alf Wight’s daughter, Dr Rosie Page, who gave valuable information to the author for his book.
Mr Crocker thanked the White Rose Books for hosting the signing event and told everyone present about the writing of the original edition and the revamped and extended version.
Visitors from around the country, who had travelled long distances in some cases, were thrilled to meet members of the cast, the real life Rosie, and the author. At the end of the afternoon the whole party walked over to Kirkgate, to the Herriot Museum to chat with Dr Page.”