Gyn Freeman – What Was Pebble Mill?

Pete Simpkin 1942-2020

Radio Birmingham and Radio WM presenter and producer Pete Simpkin sadly died on 29th June 2020.

Pete Simpkin

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

Gyn Freeman: He really was Radio Birmingham then newbies arrived with “ideas” change of name for the station and other changes. He was loved by his listeners and years after I found him being kind and help elderly residents – so a real Brummy a decent chap.

Clive Payne: I knew Pete when I joined WM in 1989. In those days the BBC invested heavily in training people and Pete did a lot of that as well as being a highly acclaimed and established producer and presenter too. He taught me everything I knew and it is down to him that I have the radio career that I have today. Without him, I know it would not have happened. I grew up in Shirley; Pete lived there with his wife Pat, so I used to see them around anyway. Pete and I used to come home together on the 49 bus sometimes and used to put the world to rights. He taught us all on our course about the ‘red light rule’ i.e. not entering a studio with a red light glowing, an ethos I am a stickler with today. On the odd occasion where people have come into my studio through a read light – they have had a reality check from me not to do it again! Pete taught me to edit on quarter inch tape, like we all did in those days and how to research an item and importantly not to over -research it. He also taught me how to deliver speech on air and the importance of articulation and comprehension. Speech based radio is still by far my favourite form. I am glad that I and other like me knew him not only as a colleague but a friend too and received the value of his many years of experience and training. My career and I are far better off with it.

Stuart Roper and Gyn Freeman, Radio WM

Photo by Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

Radio WM presenter, Stuart Roper, with fellow presenter, Gyn Freeman in the background. This was on a live outside broadcast in Guernsey.

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

Andrew Thorman: ‘The only OB I remember was Chemsleywood …! We were pelted with rubbish and so a fence was erected around us. I think the presenter was Ken Dudney.’

Heather Dale: ‘Gyn presented very much with Stuart and she replaced Viv Ellis who left in the early 80’s. When Stuart left, Gyn continued on her own for a number of years being produced by either Sue Kelly or Soo Welch (can’t exactly remember who). Gyn herself left in 1988 but continued at PM concentrating on Children in Need in regional television. She now lives in France with her husband Paul and she is an artist.’

Conal O’Donnell: ‘I should imagine, but don’t know for sure, there was some new Birmingham to Channel Islands air route opening up which wanted the publicity that WM might provide. Freebies were welcome!! Gyn & Stuart co-presented so its likely there was a separate producer.

John Taynton compliments slip

It’s amazing what can turn up in a charity shop. Luke Earle found this comp slip, which looks like it is from Radio WM presenter, John Taynton to someone called Roy who presumably won a competition, on a shelf in a Belper charity shop. I wonder how it got there?

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

Gyn Freeman: ‘That is so good ….. but yes it would have been a book with an interview, but some review copy and Roy, won it …… so good to hear it was in a Charity shop though ….’

Panic Mechanics

These screen grabs are from the 2002 series, Panic Mechanics, shown on BBC2. It was presented by Trevor Nelson, directed by Ewan Keil, and produced by Andy Francis.

Here is the entry from the Radio Times, courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

“Continuing the new series in which two teams compete to transform a normal car into an extraordinary machine.
Oragster. The mechanical savvy of tonight’s competitors is stretched to the limit as they try to make fiery drag racers out of their Reliant Rialtos. After a racing showdown, the losers’ vehicle is crushed, while the prize awaiting the winners is the drive of a lifetime. “

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/431833e28fe645b4b5e32680b05c998e

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the grabs available.

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

Sonia Beldom: ‘I certainly remember it. I developed it – my first TV commission’

Gyn Freeman: ‘Just seen this, behind Trevor Nelson in the blue with the white hair is my brother in law David Cooper and his son next to him Oliver Cooper – they loved doing the programme. It was popular too.’

Andy Walters: ‘The red and blue garages were at the back of Pebble Mill where the OB stores were. There was another series filmed in that area, Grease Monkeys.’

Amanda Barker: ‘What great memories! I remember filming at Saunton Sands and Silverstone’

Gyn Freeman and Nicky Steele, Radio WM

Photo by Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

Co-presenters, Gyn Freeman and Nicky Steele in Area 2 of the Radio WM studio at Pebble Mill.

Thanks to Rod Fawcett for sharing the photo.

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

Gyn Freeman: Stuart Roper left, they brought Nicky to enable the station to still have a “double-header” – so I was the co-presenter of the show, as I was with Roper. Actually Nicky and I got on well together and the programme was popular but no way would either of these chaps let me drive the programme unless they took a break or I was doing the phone-in. Just to say that I am feeling just fine, but of course both Stuart and Nicky died so young. I did a double header on Radio 4 for a couple of series, the other presenter was Peter Purves, looking good and even older than me and the producer Peter Everett.’

Tim Manning: ‘If you look through the window, you’ll see that I was the producer, although not for the whole time that they worked together on air.’

Tim Beech: ‘Area 2. John Taynton always used that one for the shared evening show across the Midlands. Ed was always in 5, “driven” from Area 4. As was Tony Butler.’

Anthony Worrall: ‘I remember Nicky’s discos at Honiley Boot before his radio days!’

Gary Hudson: ‘I remember Nicky presenting gigs at Birmingham Town Hall in the 70s. He was already a star of BRMB, and – a day after the sad death of Ed Doolan – that’s a reminder that the commercial lot created all the major local radio personalities in those days – certainly in the West Midlands. Tony Butler was another contemporary, and of course Les Ross, who’d left Radio Birmingham for the glamour of the former Aston Hippodrome.’

Steve Jarvis: ‘I remember Nick when he was Nick Aire at Bishop Vesey School. He had the mot remarkable ten pin bowling style!’

Tim Beech: ‘Nicky of course sadly passed away many years ago – I just checked the date and it was 2001. Hard to believe it was that long ago.’

Chris Rolinson: ‘He was due to start at Saga in 2001, but he was already very ill and sadly died before we went on air.

He was slated to present the Saturday Afternoon show “The Saturday Alternative” from 2 till 6 and I had to sit in for him from launch.

It was very strange especially doing the first show that I knew a Midlands legend was due to present.

I hope I didn’t let him down…’