Helen O’Rahilly outside Pebble Mill, copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
My first BBC job….1988-89…researcher at Daytime Live. Great days, great people: Simon Shaw, Mary Clyne, David Morgenstern, Vikki Kimm, David Lancaster, David Weir, Alan Titchmarsh, Judi Spiers….loved the Friday baltis with the team in Moseley. A wonderful place that welcomed this young Irish woman from RTE. Fond memories.
Helen O’Rahilly
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
The Good Food Show went out on BBC 1 at 7pm in spring and summer 1995/6. There were 15 episodes in all. The food magazine show was presented by Juliet Morris and Will Hanrahan, with journalist, Pete McCarthy adding witty insights. The show included simple recipes, as well as consumer investigations.
Here is the link to the Radio Times entry for the first ‘appetiser’ episode of the series, from the BBC Genome project: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a0e06a2b4e3849a1a40d0c590687554c.
Ben Warwick was the series director, and Mary Clyne the series producer. Jane Lomas was a producer on the show.
Thanks to VT editor, Ian Collins for sharing this titles grab.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Pete Simpkin: ‘I remember a young female continuity announcer with a ‘terribly affected ‘ voice linking to a TX of this as ‘The gid fid shay’…..ouch!!!!!!!’
Photo copyright Roger Guest, no reproduction without permission.
Ray Lee: ‘Yes it was an Ampex VR3000 and had large rechargable batteries which might last for one tape if you were lucky. It produced a very basic monochrome playback, which really did little other than indicate something was on the tape. It was very noisy, as the head assembly was mounted on ball bearings, unlike the airbearings that were used in all the full size machines. Little chance of assessing sound quality, but maybe that was recorded separately on a timecode linked tape machine. I don’t know details of how it was used in the field, but did have to attempt to repair it a few times. ! Very quicly replaced by the VPR10 1″ machine for these type of productions.’
Jane Clement: ‘I seem to recall they went to Freetown Christiania as part of the trip – the big hippie commune in Copenhagen – is that right Steve N Weddle and Jane Mclean?’
Jane Mclean: ‘Oh just look at us Mike Bloore! Yes Jane, we did indeed and I was petrified. They had lots of huge dodgy dogs. I went for a wee under a bush and two dogs charged me midst flow. The owner stopped them just before they reached me by which time I was wrecked. Ian Dewar had to give me medicine from his hip flask.’
Steve Weddle: ‘Heavens yes, Christiania, the hippy commune right in the heart of Copenhagen which proclaimed itself a free state. As I was the nearest thing we had to a hippy – long hair and a duffle coat – I went in to hold discussions with their leaders to see if they would allow us to film in their break away state. They eventually agreed, giving me a promise that our safety was assured. As if! No sooner had we started filming than we were greeted by a break away faction brandishing sticks and bricks, demanding our immediate departure from the site, or else. A tense few minutes ensued until my contact there won the day and we were allowed to carry on filming. And good on John Smith for holding his nerve. Plus I do remember that incident of the dog in the daytime, Jane. I seem to recall the Danes having a weird thing for Alsatians. But that’s for another time!’
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
These recipes from TV chef, Glynn Christian, were featured on Pebble Mill at One in January 1982. The combination of celeriac and mint flan, carrot and ginger flan, shoulder of lamb with red pepper, accompanied by a puree of parsnips and basil sound like a good wholesome winter meal. Notice how all the measurements are imperial, rather than metric. The recipe sheets could be ordered by viewers, and sent out to them.
Thanks to floor manager, Eurwyn Jones, for sharing these recipes.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Jane Mclean: ‘Those wanting recipes had to send in an SAE. We typed them out as above, photocopied them and rammed the envelopes. Not even PM headed paper! A tad removed from today and logging on to slash/recipe. Oh the glamour.’
Jane Clement: ‘The joys of life pre-computers, when it was all typewriters and carbon paper. So much fun, especially on a daily, live to air show that changed all the time. Bits of screwed-up paper everywhere and much swearing.’
Steve Weddle: ‘Absolutely. Incidentally I first stumbled upon Glynn Christian when I was researching an item on the Mutiny On The Bounty – he was actually a direct descendant of Fletcher Christian and had written a book on it. So I also tracked down a direct descendant of William Bligh too, Captain of the Bounty, and then let them slug it out in the foyer. On the way back to hospitality Glynn mentioned to me that he was something of a cook, and because he’d performed well I managed to persuade the powers that be to allow him back for a cookery demo. That was followed by a series of six – I’d never researched or produced cookery items before – very much the preserve of Steph Silk and Mary Clyne – and it was a bit of nightmare for me. Not my thing at all. So I was almost relieved when the newly launched Breakfast Time moved in and whisked Glynn away for him to become their regular on screen cook. How he must have loved those early mornings!’
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
Who’ll do the Pudding? was a daytime, studio based cookery show which went out between 1996-8 on BBC 2, it was presented by Nick Nairn. It featured many different television chefs, making puddings. These included: Phil Vickery, Pat Chapman, Paul Rankin, Gilli Cliff, Sophie Grigson, and Valentina Harris.
Mary Clyne was the series producer, and Phillip Thickett the studio director.
There was a book of recipes which accompanied the second series in 1997, written by Jill Francis, and published by the Broadcasting Support Service.
Thanks to Ian Collins for making this title grab available.