Good Morning with Anne and Nick – What Was Pebble Mill?

Working in Television – Clare Stride

Excerpt from ‘Working in Television’ 1980, by Jan Leeming

This is an excerpt from an interview with Clare Stride, from a book called Working in Television written in 1980 by Jan Leeming, who worked at Pebble Mill for a time. The aim was to encourage young people to think about careers in television. Clare was working as a research assistant at the time, and later became a producer on The Clothes Show and a series producer on various Daytime shows. I worked with her when she was a producer on Good Morning with Anne and Nick in the early 1990s. She sadly died aged 55 in 2006.

Thanks to Jonathan Dick for sharing the photo, who has sadly died since sharing the excerpts.

Clare Stride on the Severn Valley Railway. Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission

Studio C Galleries

Studio C sound desk, prior to the refurbishment at the end of the 1990s. Photo from Stuart Gandy, no reproduction without permission

Studio C sound desk prior to refurbishment

Refurbished sound desk in Studio C

Refurbished sound desk being removed when Studio C closed, with John Griffiths

Refurbished sound desk has been removed, as Studio C has closed

Studio C vision mixer

Vision mixer stripped out of the desk after Studio C closed

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These photos from Stuart Gandy show the Studio C galleries over time, from the 1990s to early 2000s. Studio C was where Pebble Mill at One, and Good Morning with Anne and Nick were broadcast from, as well as several other shows. The first two photos show the sound desk before the refurbishment, which took place in the late 1990s. The third photo is of the refurbished desk from the early 2000s, followed by photos of the desk being dismantled when the studio was closed. The last two photos show the Studio C vision mixer, and its removal, when the studio closed.

These photos were originally shared on the Pebble Mill Engineers Facebook group.

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Good Morning with Anne and Nick Hotliners

Photo from Steve Johnson, no reproduction without permission

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The photo shows the hotline team from the 1990’s daytime magazine programme, Good Morning with Anne and Nick. The CSV volunteers who manned the phone lines were an integral part of the programme, and regularly appeared on screen, as well as putting through the calls from viewers. The photo was taken at the end of the last show in 1996. Working on the hotline was the start of quite a number of successful careers in the BBC.

Thanks to Steve Johnson for sharing the photo.

Please add a comment if you can identify anyone.

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

Grant Robinson: ‘I’ll identify myself. Back row furthest right! I was a lowly runner – occasionally herding the talent (Robson & Jerome!) and filtering out the inappropriate mail before it reached A&N! I remember the wrap party when the show finished. Anne made a very barbed speech and Ainsley Harriott dropped his trousers!’

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Rod Natkiel cutting

I’m not sure where this article is from, but probably one of the local Birmingham papers. It is from 1992, when Rod Natkiel was appointed Head of Network Television. As the cutting is rather hard to read, I have transcribed it here:

“Surprise as outsider takes Pebble Mill top job.

Mr Rod Natkiel has been appointed as Head of Network Television at BBC Pebble Mill in a surprise move.

The 40-year-old, who lives in Wylde Green, Birmingham beat off a strong field of internal applicants.

In his new role he will have overall responsibility for drama, leisure and lifestyle, multi-cultural programming output and the new daytime schedule.

Mr Natkiel, a freelance independent producer, was s former BBC TV light entertainment producer and director in Scotland from 1978-84 and is currently production executive at the Birmingham Media Development Agency.

His impressive CV includes work in entertainment, documentary, drama, news and current affairs, including stints on Granada’s Krypton Factor, Channel 4’s QD – The Master Game and Children’s Ward, the ITV drama.

Last night he said: “I am delighted to be joining the BBC again, especially at Pebble Mill which has such an excellent track record.

“These are challenging times for the industry and the BBC itself, of course, has many issues to resolve.

But I’m looking forward very much to being part of that process and hopefully assisting future success of the corporation and Pebble Mill.”

Before accepting the job, Mr Natkiel insisted that he be allowed to retain his MDA post after he starts work with the corporation on Monday.

A BBC insider commented: “This is a fairly sensational appointment. He will be the man who is responsible for all the network TV output from Pebble Mill.”

Mr Bill Cotton, chairman of Noel Gay Television and a former BBC managing director, said: “I think it’s a very good appointment. I think he’s a first class producer with a lot of experience and patience.”

Mrs Dorothy Hobson, director of the MDA, said: “We have always had a close relationship with the BBC because they were one of our original sponsors.”

She said Mr Natkiel had always shown great patience and interest in up-and-coming film makers.”

Thanks to Philip Thickett for sharing the cutting.

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

Jean Palmer: ‘I worked for Rod and Jenny Brewer on the 5th Floor. Thought I had made it being on the management floor. He called me to ask me if I could go and unit manage Good Morning with Anne and Nick. Enjoyed that role, worked with a great team of people, fun times and hard times but great times.’

Jane Upston: ‘Yes I worked with him and Jenny too prior to maternity leave from Personnel, as it was called in those days!’

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BBC Birmingham remembers Pebble Mill heritage

BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox is remembering its heritage by naming some of its meeting rooms after famous Pebble Mill programmes.

The programmes being honoured include:

Pebble Mill at One

Good Morning with Anne and Nick

Howards’ Way

Tom Coyne

If you have any logos or photos of these programmes, which might be suitable to decorate the walls of the meeting rooms, then please get in touch. Vanessa

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

Cast and crew on Howards’ Way

Midlands Today presenters, Tom Coyne, back row, right.

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The following additional suggestions were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Helena Morrisey: ‘What about all the fine radio output too…? R3’s The Music Machine was a groundbreaking programme and produced at Pebble Mill.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘Not forgetting the popular local music show ‘Look Hear’. It was a big production for a local programme.’

Julie Hill: ‘Yes and what about Angels, Saturday Night at the Mill, The Clothes Show, Gardeners World, Ebony.’

Jane Clement: ‘If they name any more rooms, I would suggest The Archers. And Donny MacLeod.’

Jane Ward: ‘Midlands Radio Orchestra?’

Sue Welch: ‘Only TV? How about all the Radio 2 output and Radios 3 &4, not to mention 5?’

Bill Bohanna: ‘”Gangsters”, “Boys from the Black Stuff”, “All Creatures Great and Small” more to follow’

Mike Hayes: ‘Do not forget David Steel & Michael Hancock…’

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