Lydia Thomas – What Was Pebble Mill?

Morning Surgery

Morning Surgery was a factual medical show presented by GP, Dr Mark Porter, and Lydia Thomas. The aim was to take the mystery out of medical matters. It was a spin off programme from Good Morning with Anne and Nick, where Dr Mark Porter was a regular contributor on medical phone-ins. The show went out in June and September 1993. The show was recorded in Studio C, the Foyer.

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

Sarah Dunning: ‘Tony Fisher’s logo design methinks?’

Sue Robinson: ‘I directed it but I can’t remember ANYTHING about who else worked on it or when it went out! The one thing I do remember is that Mark and Lydia used to get the most ridiculous giggles about virtually all of the more “sensitive” subjects. It was great fun.’

Helen Taylor: ‘I certainly do, I produced it!!! It was a 15 minute programme and for some reason I remember doing an item on febrile convulsions! Absolutely remember Sue directing and I think Tony did design the logo. Claire Stride nursed me through my first foray into producing.’

Jane Maclean: ‘I was the PA! And even before I read Sue’s comment, my first thought was Mark and Lydia completely corpsing. Other than that, can’t remember….’

The Morning on One

Thanks to Marie Phillips for making this available.

This bone china tea cup was made to celebrate ‘The Morning on One’. It dates from the early 1990s, when BBC Pebble Mill ran the morning schedule on BBC 1. The presentation was run by Ross King, and Lydia Thomas, and linked the two big large live shows: ‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’ and ‘Pebble Mill’.

Gardenwise – photo by Vanessa Jackson

‘Gardenwise’ was a BBC 1 Daytime magazine series in production in 1992. I think there were six episodes. It was produced at Pebble Mill by Clare Stride. I was a researcher and was lucky enough to do some single camera directing on the show, setting up items and directing some of the location stories.

This photo was taken as we were finishing a shoot in Madeira, which was a pretty glamorous location for a Daytime series. We recorded a couple of items about the gardens of Madeira, one about orchids, and one about the gardens of the Reid’s Hotel, where we stayed. Reid’s Hotel is famous for its beautiful setting, fantastic restaurants and illustrious guests, like George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill. We were extremely well looked after, and could choose which of the restaurants we chose to eat in – free of charge! I remember being happy to go along with camerman, Keith Froggatt’s choice of the a la carte restaurant. The rooms were sumptuous, and because I was the director, I had a suite (the first and last time whilst on location). We made good use of the swimming pool as well!

The photo features, from left to right; cameraman, Keith Froggatt; P.A. Sarah Reddi; presenter, Lydia Thomas; sound-man, Paul Taylor.

Morning Surgery – photos by Lynda Kettle

Photos by Lynda Kettle, no reproduction without permission. Lynda Kettle was a Production Designer at BBC Pebble Mill, working on factual, entertainment and drama shows in studio and on location. The photos were taken as records of the Sets.

‘Morning Surgery’ was a summer spin off from ‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’. There were two series, the first was transmitted in June 1993 and the second in September 1993. It was a BBC 1 Daytime show and featured Dr Mark Porter and Lydia Thomas taking the mystery out of medical matters. The show was studio based in Pebble Mill Studio C (the foyer). The title music was composed by David Lowe.

Production Designer, Lynda Kettle also worked as a theatre designer and an artist, and now runs courses from her art studio http://www.lynda-kettle.com. She is a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham Water Colour Society. Midland Pastel Society and Birmingham Art Circle . She exhibits her paintings several times a year at selected galleries.