Gharbar – What Was Pebble Mill?

Bish Mehay, thoughts from Waseem Mahmood

(Asian Unit producers: Yosuf Aziz, Waseem Mahmood, Krishan Gould and Bish Mehay. Seated is Ashok Rampal, the executive producer.)

“It is with great sadness that I learn of the passing of my old colleague, Bish Mehay. I shared an office with him for six years and learnt so much from him. It is a sobering thought that of the original producers of the BBC Asian Programmes Unit in this picture, only I remain. It is a shame that the pioneering work that these men did for Asian broadcasting in UK in the 70’s and 80’s has been largely overlooked and lost in the annals of history. The contribution of Ashok Rampal, Krishen Gould, Yosuf Aziz and Bish Mehay has to be recognised and acknowledged. The programmes we made Asian Magazine on BBC1, Gharbar on BBC 2 and Make Yourself at Home on Radio 4 were a staple part of life for the majority of Asians at that time. It is these men who laid the foundations and opened the doors for all of us in the media today.”

Waseem Mahmood

Asian Programme Unit Producers

The Asian Programme Unit producers: Yousaf Aziz, Waseem Mahmood, Krishan Gould and Bish Mehay. Seated is Ashok Rampal, the executive producer.

Thanks to Waseem Mahmood for sharing the photo.

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

Waseem Mahmood: ‘This must have been about 1984. We all worked on the BBC 1 Asian Magazine programme that went out on Sunday morning, Gharbar that went out on BBC 2 on Wednesday mornings and the Radio 4 programme Make Yourself at Home which also went out on Sunday.’

Lynne Cullimore: ‘I worked there for a while. Worked on many interesting stories and of course the music. I was there when Nahrendra was in charge!’

Dawn Trotman: ‘I worked on the programme. I even sunk up Bish’s feature film in his garage ! Many stories abound about the shooting of the film in Birmingham ! I later worked on Network East some of the old team remained but a new boss.’

Rosalind Gower: ‘So great to see this lovely bunch again. Thanks’

Jane Ward: ‘Wow! Agree with Rosalind Gower – how lovely to see them all in this pic. I worked with them on Gharbar and Asian Magazine – 1986-87. The Midlands Today set would come out of Studio B for filming Asian Magazine and then be put back in again just in time for afternoon news. I used to love the bands that sat on the floor and played great music.’

Mary Sanchez: ‘I worked as part of my secretarial training on Asian Network and Ebony then onto news where indeed we doubled up with Asian Network and News in same studio.’

Multicultural Programmes from BBC Birmingham

Photo by Lynda Kettle, described as ‘Asian Music and Dance

Here is a list of some of the multicultural programmes produced at BBC Birmingham, from before and during the Pebble Mill period. The list is included in a document housed in the BBC Written Archives at Caversham.

Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye

(Make Yourself at Home) Radio – Home Service 1965

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0d248bbb13934a6293989ac1744ede8b

Made at Gosta Green and introduced by Aley Hasan

Nai Zindagi-Naya Jeevan

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/799760c890544c27a9f408fafcd77784

BBC1 Sunday morning programme (late 1960s-early 1970s) which is roughly translated as ‘New Life’ (ran for 14 years)

Gharbar

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/17f97d1ad04e484e9d403bfb27004555

BBC1&2, Women’s magazine show, transmitted on Wednesday mornings from 1977-87

Asian Magazine

BBC1 Sunday mornings 1983-87

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f3b01c62804743388df183a729484ef3

New Life and Gharbar then became one programme in the early 1980s, called Asian Magazine, which then became Network East

Network East

BBC1&2 Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings (1987-2003)

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c0918d9079d8460488d012c3c1d7e000

Ebony

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/34a20f1624ad4a57bc6873ca1f0c3c6b

BBC2, 1983-1990, Afro-Carribean Magazine

Behind the Beat

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a05e0e41e87c4754a00599de8a0c3fba

BBC2, 1988-9, Music Programme

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

Keith Brook (aka Scouse):”‘Nai Zindagi-Naya Jeevan’ was the Urdu and Hindi for ‘New Way -New Life’ but was generically called ‘New Life’. It wasn’t renamed, it stayed like that into the 80s.

I worked on it as a cameraman, of course, but I also did a year or so directing it.

It was great fun, if a little disorganised. Getting everyone from our side into the studio was a little like herding cats.

Still, the real upside was that Ashok Rampal, Saleem Shahed and Mahendra Kaul and I were frequently invited to Indian and Pakistani houses for ‘real’ curries. Absolutely delicious!!

The best one was Madhur Jaffrey’s rather swish place. Best food of all!!

Still, I got a lot of pleasure out of it because it was a programme FOR Asians rather than about. At that time there were many elderly relatives who couldn’t speak English and it was their half hour of entertainment. For that reason alone, it was a delight.

I had the same feeling of fulfillment when I did a stretch on Open University. There wasn’t a big audience for each course, but every programme had an RI of 100%.

Still, every programme we did in Pebble Ill was fulfilling and it was a joy to work with such talented people.”

Terry Barker: “I worked for Nahrendra Morar as his PA from 92 to 94 and remember the diversity of programmes that came out of the multicultural department then. Charles Bruce and Farah Durrani made some terrific documentaries. Had a great time.”

Bridget Catherine Vaughan: “My first staff post, after 2 years of “temping” was in Asian Unit with Lisa Sommerville, Chris Hardman, Jayne Savage…..fab time”

Simon Edwards: “I recall working as camera assistant on the titles (on 16mm) for a programme called “All Black”. Not sure if that was a working title but it would have been early 90’s. We shot some of it in the studio at the Mill and then locations in London. Chris Weaver was the lighting cameraman and Wilfred E-J directed it.”

Keith Brook: “‘Nai Zindagi-Naya Jeevan’ was the Urdu and Hindi for ‘New Way -New Life’ but was generically called ‘New Life’. It wasn’t renamed, it stayed like that into the 80s.

I worked on it as a cameraman, of course, but I also did a year or so directing it.

It was great fun, if a little disorganised. Getting everyone from our side into the studio was a little like herding cats.

Still, the real upside was that Ashok Rampal, Saleem Shahed and Mahendra Kaul and I were frequently invited to Indian and Pakistani houses for ‘real’ curries. Absolutely delicious!!

The best one was Madhur Jaffrey’s rather swish place. Best food of all!!

I had the same feeling of fulfillment when I did a stretch on Open University. There wasn’t a big audience for each course, but every programme had an RI of 100%.

Every programme we did in Pebble Milll was fulfilling and it was a joy to work with such talented people.”

Save

1984 Spring and Summer line-up

This page from the 1984 Pebble Mill News, includes an article about David Waine’s press briefing about Pebble Mill’s output: 500 hours of network TV, 1,000 hours of network radio, and 160 hours of regional television. Highlights include a new Saturday night light entertainment show, new series of Top Gear, Kick Start and Top Sailing, as well as Now Get Out of That, Gardeners’ World, Asian Magazine, and Gharbar. On the drama front there is mention of The Groundling and the Kite, Phoebe, The Amazing Miss Estelle, and Morte d’Arthur.

Network Radio was also busy, with a new Radio 4 series of Enterprise, and Rollercoaster, as well as hosting a Schools Radio Festival hosted by Sue Lawley, Rolf Harris and Duncan Goodhew.

In regional television there were new series of, Midlands Sound and Midlands Tonight, and a television version of Malcolm Stent’s Radio WM series, In the Barmaid’s Arms.

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

Peter Poole: ‘I worked on The Barmaid’s Arms in Studio A. They had a good band called The Nightriders. This was before producer choice. After that regional TV could never afford Studio A.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘As producer of the Radio version of the Barmaids it was quite pleasant to be a member of the audience with the real beer and not have to worry about anything! I do remember that someone had crafted a tiny hole in the chest of Malc’s shirt to take the cable for his personal mic.’

Lynn Cullimore: ‘Yes, Peter it was Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders…I was the PA and I loved it. Malc was wonderful to work with and i did many programmes with him. Malcolm is still going too..doing shows and things. Mary someone or other did a brilliant set for it…cannot remember her other name but she was very good.’

Peter Poole: ‘Hi Lynn, it was great when regional TV could do shows like this. Do you remember who the producer was? Malcolm often did warm up for PM at One. He always did a great job entertaining the audience.’

Lynn Cullimore: ‘The Producer was John Clarke whom I worked with for a long time. I did many Studio A programmes at one time – do you remember The Garden Game?’

Stuart Gandy: ‘I do remember The Garden Game. Wasn’t it on during the Friday night opt slot? In those days regional programmes had two opt slots per week.’

Peter Poole: ‘I remember John he was great producer and a very nice man. It’s amazing the programmes produced on such small budgets. I didn’t work on The Garden Game but do remember it. One of the many panel shows in Studio A. I always enjoyed working on regional TV programmes. The production teams were lovely people.’

General Programme Unit Success

Thanks to Pete Simpkin for making this clipping from the Pebble Mill magazine available.

The article talks about the success of the General Programme Unit in terms of winning commissions from both BBC 1 and BBC 2. The commissioned shows mentioned include a late night Saturday entertainment show and the ‘Golden Oldie’ video programme – presumably what became the ‘Golden Oldie Picture Show’. A sailing magazine show had been commissioned by BBC 2 – this is what became ‘Making Waves’. ‘Paddles Up’, a canoeing series, and ‘Now Get Out of That’, are also mentioned, as well as programmes from the NEC Motor Show, and the RAC Rally. Recommissioned shows include ‘Gardeners’ World’, ‘Asian Magazine’, ‘Gharbar’, ‘Kick Start’, ‘Junior Kick Start’, and ‘Pot Black’.

The article dates from around 1983/4.

The following comments were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Jane Maclean: ‘Jane Hyde & Sue Gilbert were the PAs on Now Get Out of That. I did one series with Jane in ’82. Would think the Sat night entertainment show was Saturday Night at the Mill. Think the sailing series would be Making Waves – a magazine prog covering all aspects of boating – which I did during 83/84. Also did Pot Black + junior version, Paddles Up in Llangollen and Kick Start + junior version at Donington.’

Maggy Whitehouse: ‘I did a season on Making Waves … including the Tall Ships race which was based at Gothenburg that year. It was a wonderful job to have. Chris Wright was one of the directors and Tony Rayner, the producer.’