https://www.facebook.com/AlastairYates.media.adhd/videos/693130690707859/
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
This, circa 1978, video includes a trail for the regional music show, Look! Hear!, and Midlands Today presenter, Alastair Yates, introducing the national 6pm News.
Chris Phipps trails Look! Hear!
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
A Midlands News broadcast, presented by Alastair Yates, from 1979. Alastair left Pebble Mill for Grampian in 1980. The broadcast had been recorded by Chris Howles on a Philips N1700 format tape, and donated to TVArk.
The prompter seems not to be working at the beginning of the broadcast, with Alastair doing a wonderful job of reading off the script, whilst looking up from time to time. The cartoon over the weather seems very odd, and then the prompter seems to be working properly after that. The news seems to consist of a litany of crime, followed by a list of what’s on in every single theatre in the region! This was one of the last ‘closedown’ broadcasts to be done from the Midlands, due to an economy drive! Nothing new about BBC cut-backs!
Thanks to Chris Howles for bringing the clip to my attention.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Bryan Sharpe: ‘Alastair gave me my first insight into radio.. when he used to be AL KAY at BBC Radio Derby… in 1974… I was 12ish and later went on to work at Radio Derby then onto work at Pebble Mill and eventually as senior director at BBC Nottingham… thanks AL!!’
Malcolm Hickman: ‘Haven’t I seen Alastair on BBC World?’
Jonathan Dick: ‘Alastair was indeed a presenter on BBC World, where I had the pleasure of directing him on many occasions.’
Pebble Mill Magazine 1978
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This article in the Pebble Mill Magazine is from 1978. Alastair Yates presented his own show on Radio Birmingham on weekday mornings from July 1978. The show included guests as well as discussing topical issues. The article talks about how the show dealt with the Whooping Cough vaccine scare, presenting all sides of the argument: parents from children affected by Whooping Cough, or damaged by the vaccine, as well as doctors.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
Cutting publicising Eureka, a BBC Midlands one-off show presented by Alastair Yates, with Jan Leeming, in 1979. The show spotlighted inventors from the Midlands.
The director was Desmond O’Leary, and the producer Chris Griffin.
Thanks to Alastair Yates for sharing the cutting.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
What sacrifices presenters have to make to appear on television! Alastair Yates had to lose his facial hair in order to appear on Midlands Today. Alastair started as a presenter at Radio Derby, and beards were ok on radio – but not on television in the late 1970s! Viewers prefer a clean shave.