Gardeners’ World – What Was Pebble Mill?

Alan Miller 1951-2021

Countryfile team with Press Office. Photo from Tim Manning, no reproduction without permission. Alan Miller is fourth from the left, next to John Craven.

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

Alan Miller died on 16th March 2021. He was 69. Alan worked on a whole range of factual shows at Pebble Mill, but particularly Top Gear GTi and Countryfile. I worked with him on a couple of films when I was a researcher on Gardeners’ World in 1991. He was originally a sound recordist who then moved into directing. He will be remembered as a kind, funny and generous man, who taught a lot of us an awful lot. (Vanessa Jackson)

Annette Martin: ‘I first met Alan when I was on attachment to Glasgow as a Vision Mixer and he was in the Sound Dept. He was a generous and friendly colleague and even lent me his tent so I could enjoy the wonderful Scottish countryside. Then we met up again at PM and worked on many programmes together. He was a pleasure to work with and I’m so sad he’s passed on.’

Columbo Street: ‘This is so so sad. Alan’s generosity with his knowledge and experience was the bedrock of my (& many others) early tv life. Such happy memories as a new researcher of filming with Alan and John Craven – from every corner of the UK to Oz, Mauritius and the US … The TV industry in the Midlands and beyond is richer for being lucky enough to have Alan Miller as a part of it.’

Julie Mason: ‘This is very sad news. I worked with Alan a lot, shooting various things but Top Gear Gti in particular. We shared a lot of laughs. Went up and down the M6 – he drove like a lunatic – working with a small, bijou team who shot the items for the UK Horizons spin off. Fun times.’

Jim Knights: ‘Such sad news on the passing of a friend and colleague. Always a pleasure to be his cameraman on shoots. And most importantly always ensured a 1 hour lunch break, excluding travel. Good and generous guy. The likes of which we will never see again.’

Gardeners’ World September 1987

Thanks to Stuart Allen for making these screen grabs available.

These stills are from Gardeners’ World transmitted on 9th September 1987. This was when the Friday night gardening series was still being made as an outside broadcast. I think it was usually shot on two cameras and used a system called editech to assemble the programme as the recording went along, rolling back to last edit and picking up from there.

Jean Laughton was a renowned production assistant, who was working more as a researcher than a PA. She compiled a very comprehensive set of card notes which included all the programme details, along with which plants were included in which episode.

Denis Gartside was a larger than life director. I worked with him on Gardeners’ World in 1989. I remember driving with him to location, he used to steer with his knees and stop with the handbrake!

John Kenyon

(Jim Dumighan has shared the information below about John Kenyon)

John Kenyon has died, at his home near Skipton, Yorkshire. He was 83.

John headed the Farming Unit at BBC Midlands for two decades before Gardeners’ World was added to his CV. His stewardship of the weekly Farming programme over such a long period was testing, given that his output was always closely scrutinised by the powerful farming lobby, led by most rural M.P.s.

In 1978, John took over Gardeners’ World, but still retained responsibility for Farming. Eventually, he opted for the single post of Executive Producer, Gardening Programmes, and remained there until retirement.

Away from farming and gardening, John enjoyed a lengthy attachment in London with the Horizon programme.

A Tynesider, John joined the BBC in Birmingham after graduating in agriculture at King’s College – which later became Newcastle University. He will be remembered as an energetic and resourceful producer, as well as being a loyal and supportive colleague.

The following comment was added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Andy Frizzell: ‘A lovely man with a wicked sense of humour. Worked on GW during his tenure and always a joy to work with.’

Gardeners’ World Golden Anniversary

Gardeners’ World is celebrating its golden anniversary this year. Tonight on Midlands Today, there was an item presented by Kay Alexander from Gardeners’ World Live show at the NEC, showing some of the programme’s history.

The link below is to the Midlands Today 6pm show, and will work until the evening of 17th June 2017.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08tkz1f/midlands-today-evening-news-16062017

Below are some grabs from the Midlands Today item.