Kate Hillman – What Was Pebble Mill?

House Trap

Gordon Whistance, Royston Horsley tucked behind Gordon, Craig Phillips. Photos from Suzie Curtlin, no reproduction without permission

Kate Hillman and Caroline Feldon Parsons, Dick Sharman in the back of shot

Esther Povey and Sam Beer

Contributors on the left, Suzie Curtlin and Robbie Williams on the right handside

Robbie Williams

Kate Hillman, Sarah Stokes

Kate Hillman and Caroline Feldon Parsons

Thanks to Suzie Curtlin for sharing these photos of the BBC1 makeover show, House Trap. The team were ‘locked’ in a house for a week and had to makeover a different room each day.

The presenters included Gordon Whistance and Craig Phillips, shown in the top photo.

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

Sue Robinson: ‘I directed this and Rosemary Edwards was the Producer. I can’t remember the year but about 2000 ish sounds about right. It was a house somewhere in Hall Green.‘

Caroline Feldon Parsons: ‘It was freezing I remember. And I was actually able to walk to work as I lived in Hall Green at the time! Can’t really remember much about it now other than stressing about a kitchen reveal involving a stainless steel splashback, and Kate Hillman getting trapped in the bedroom during a live segment and having to dive down beside the bed to get out of shot!’

Kate Hillman: ‘It was probably 2001, as I’d had my first baby. This is also the only explanation as to why I’d cut my hair off and dyed it dark brown. Not really any recollection of that! It was definitely winter as we were using power tools outside in the dark and frost. Andy Payne’s fleece definitely caught fire in the bathroom, as I wasn’t sure whether to flap my clipboard or beat the flames with it! It was over the closing of the live show and he stayed steady to the end! The presenter was Charlotte someone from Watchdog. It was hard work because after we’d finished the show, before the paint was dry, we moved everything into that room to prep the next room. All presenters in sleeping bags locked in the house. Seemed like a good idea at the time!!’

Nigel Mercer: ‘Pretty certain it was after 2002, as I gave Craig the fleece he’s wearing on a Carlton TV show called Renovation Street in 2001 and I was working with the lovely Gordon Whistance on Changing Rooms in 2002.’

Gardening of the Year

This photograph is from Gardener of the Year; I think the location is the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Included left to right are: Joe Swift, Rachel de Thame, Adam Pasco and Diarmuid Gavin.

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

Kate Hillman: ‘Yes, I was on this one! The contestants did their show gardens around a central decking. I think there was an art theme for the inspiration of the garden designs.’

Adam Pasco: ‘Yes, that’s me. I helped develop the concept for BBC Gardener of the Year, and judged it for a few years. Great fun, and worked with some wonderful people.’

Adam Trotman: ‘Yep I edited 2 of the years one directed by Dennis Javis and the other Patty Kraus.’

Patty Kraus: ‘I remember it well! Yes it was the Botanical gardens in Brum.’

Steve Bricknell: ‘This was the first show i ever worked on!! Not sure if this was my year though!’

Save

Going for a Song – titles

Save

Going for a Song was a long running popular quiz show about antiques. The original series went out between 1965-77, and was made in Bristol. John King directed on the original series, and it was him who was responsible for reinventing the show and bringing it to Pebble Mill, when he was executive producer of the Entertainment Department. The relaunch was between 1995-2001 for BBC1 Daytime, with presenters Michael Parkinson (1995-9), Anne Robinson (2000), and Michael Aspel (2001). Eric Knowles was the antiques expert.

The show was recorded in Studio A.

Sue Robinson directed many of the shows, with Helena Taylor being one of the series producers, as well as Claire Hobbs. Vicky Jepson and Kate Southcott (now Hillman) worked on the series, as did gallery PA, Jane Mclean.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making this titles grab available.

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

Dave Bushell: ‘I had the pleasure of not only working on the Pebble Mill series but also the original when it was produced in Bristol Studio A in the late 60s/early 70s.’

Mike Hayes: ‘There was an incident with a hand wound electrical generator that some guest put his finger in, his partner then just wound it up giving a shock and a good laugh for everyone else.’

Sue Johnson: ‘I did the autocue for this and remember Dave brazier telling us how happy Michael P was with the production team – very fond memories.’

Helena Taylor: ‘I was the Series Producer and great fun it was too and a great team both in front and behind the camera.’

Michael Wood: ‘First TV show I ever saw get recorded – Anne Robinson was presenting. Made me realise I really wanted to work in telly!’

Save

The Entertainment Game

Thanks to Ian Collins for sharing this titles’ grab from The Entertainment Game.
This BBC1 Daytime daily quiz starred impressionist Jon Culshaw, comedian Rainer Hersch and comedy duo ‘Kit and the Widow’. It went out in April/May 1998 at 12.05.

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

Kate Hillman: “I loved this show, we had Jon Culshaw just before he hit the big time! Ronnie Butt worked on it with me and I think Bev Wildman (as was!) and Nick Harris too. We recorded some episodes on the Easter Sunday and the reason I can remember it so well, is because that was the day my other half proposed to me!! It was a happy show to make. Yes, studio A.”

Memories of working with Terry Wogan

Points of View team, photo from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission

Looking through some of the many comments on Facebook about Terry Wogan, following his death yesterday, it was striking how positive everyone was about their memories of working with him at Pebble Mill. I’ve collected a few of those comments here.

Linda Flavell: So sad to hear of Sir Terry’s death. Such a funny man to work with, glad to be one of the lucky ones to have spent time with him.

Kate Hillman: All those lovely trips to Cliveden. Yes, a privilege to have worked with him.

Helena Taylor: He was such a gentleman, and always had time to have a word with his ‘fans’ in the audience of Call My Bluff. Indeed a privilege to have worked with him as Kate Hillman says. So so sad he has passed away.

Sangita Manandhar: Such sad news about Terry Wogan. Had the pleasure of working with him on Points of View many years ago…always so charming. So sad.

Paul Taylor: He was a joy to work with… So spontaneously witty, he had me fighting not to laugh out loud during recordings…..