Tag: Elaine Walker

Real Rooms – Children in Need special

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Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

These photos are of the Real Rooms team, during a makeover to coincide with Children in Need day. The show went out on Friday 21st November 1997, and was the last episode of that series. The makeover was of a centre used by special needs children, somewhere in south Birmingham.

Included in the first photo are left to right: back row, Elaine Walker, Jon ?, Richard White, John Gregg, Robert David, ?,  front row Beverley ?, Leah ?, Kieran Kelly, Simon Biagi (presenter), Fiona Quigley, Dee Mortimer.

Working on Real Rooms was my first programme as a series producer, with Mark Kershaw as executive producer, and Roger Casstles as Managing Editor. We had an initial commission for 20 programmes, but the series proved very popular and it was recommissioned many times over. I worked on the first 80 programmes, before moving on to other series.

It was one of the first programmes at Pebble Mill to extensively use self shooting by researchers and assistant producers, on Sony VX1000s. Some of the quality was mixed, but it was only through self shooting that the programmes were cost effective. We used to have a full Beta crew for all presenter, Simon Biagi’s pieces to camera, and the opening and reveal, as well as the ‘inspiration’ and ‘shopping’ trips. The self shooting was reserved for the makeover happening in the actual room.

Vanessa Jackson

 

Big Strong Boys

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Jake Robinson and Gavin Lowe were the original ‘Big Strong Boys’. The daytime DIY series, which succeeded ‘Big Strong Girls’.

The boys would descend on house and put right the DIY wrongs – building shelves, fitting cupboards, tiling – just whatever needed doing.

The boys were cheeky chaps, who loved to wind up the production team!  I remember receiving several spoof Mr Angry type phone calls!

I series produced one series of about 20 programmes, which were presented by Anna Walker.  Anna presented the programme from 1999-2001.

Deputy Daytime Controller, Alison Sharman was responsible for finding the boys, and asking Pebble Mill to develop the series, as a successor to ‘Big Strong Girls’.  The series ran from 1999-2004.

The presenter in these photos is Sarah Matravers, I think.

Vanessa Jackson

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Caroline Feldon Parsons: ‘Yes it is Sarah Matravers. I worked on ‘Big Strong Girls’, with Bridget Calderhead and Elaine Walker who were partnered with vet Mark Evans, followed by these Boys, and also the second team of Boys which featured Craig Phillips (first winner of Big Brother) and Stuart Castleton. MDF madness!!’

Robert Dagg: ‘Used to watch ‘Big Strong Boys’ (and they were!) with Loran Durant and Susan Ball, coffees in hand, before the opening of the Shoulder Of Mutton at midday in Slawit :-)’

Suzie Curtlin: ‘And also Debra Veal presented with Craig & Stuart, and of course not forgetting Kate Silverton, we all know where she is now!’

Caroline Feldon Parsons:  ‘I think I must have worked on nearly every makeover show going! Building MDF creations in pouring rain under gazebos, drying paint with hairdryers to make the reveal, dealing with “cheeky chappy” presenters and their particular brand of charm, yes, the memories are flooding back!’

Becky Land: ‘Painting wardrobes at 2am…. watching placentas being buried under trees… couriering tons of railway sleepers half way across England. The normal office job’s not quite the same.’