Mo Dutta – What Was Pebble Mill?

Factual Network Radio Programmes circa 2004

Radio Studio 5, home of Edwina Currie and Stuart Maconie. Photo by Martin Fenton.

Here is a list of factual network radio programmes produced at Pebble Mill circa 2004. This list forms part of a document, which is included in the BBC Written Archives at Caversham.

BBC Radio Two

Night-time

Mon-Fri: Janice Long, Alex Lester

Sat/Sun: Mo Dutta, Sybil Ruscoe (from 6^th June)

Weekly

Best of Jazz with Humphrey Lyttelton

Big Band Special

The Organist Entertains

Bob Harris Country

Paul Jones Blues Show

Listen to the Band

Stuart Maconie’s Critical List

Mark Lamarr’s Shake Rattle and Roll

Ed Stewart

Assorted documentaries and ad hoc series

BBC Radio Four

Farming Today

Farming Today, This Week

On Your Farm

Open Country

Costing the Earth

Ramblings

On the Ropes

Between Ourselves

Radio Five Live

Late Night Currie

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

Lynne Holden: ‘Have worked on all but 3 of these – some very briefly. I still work on 3 of these programmes that are still produced in Brum – the Organist Entertains, Listen To The Band and Paul Jones. We also produce Clare Teal, Sounds of the 50s, Moira Stuart, Don Black and ad hoc series and docs. This Christmas we also produced programmes with Barry Cryer, Barbara Windsor and a delightful programme about Sammy Davis Jr as well as a Clare Teal Big Band Xmas Special and a Sounds of the 50s Xmas Special.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘…and of course the at least 18 hours a day 24/7 Local Radio service!’

Bollywood or Bust!

Bollywood or Bust! was a studio based Hindi film quiz, which ran on BBC 2 between 1994-6.

Sanjeev Bhaskar and Mo Dutta presented on the series, with Narendhra Morar the executive producer and Denis Gartside the series producer. David Millard was the director of some of the programmes.

Four contestants battled each week to win a holiday to Bombay (now Mumbai), and a trip to Bollywood.

Thanks to Ian Collins for sharing the titles grab.

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

David Millard: ‘David Millard produced and directed the first two series and found Mo Dutta who was the sole presenter – a fabulous show!!’

Maria Needle: ‘I worked on it and I remember several infamous David Millard quotes that I cannot post here!’

Terry Baker: ‘I was Narendhra Morar’s PA so remember this show well.’

Jean Palmer: ‘And I was unit manager for some of that time’

Christmas down the BBC Club

Maggie Smith from CSV

Presenter Mo Dutta dancing with producer Celia Marks

Photos by Karen Bond, no reproduction without permission.

Christmas cheer down at the Pebble Mill Club.

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

Carole Lowe: ‘I think I was there as well as I was Maggie’s assistant good to remember the good old day on Anne and Nick.’

Michael Wood: ‘I think the ‘Maggie’ you’re referring to is Maggie Smith. Lovely lady who got me my first job at the BBC.’

Robert McGowan: ‘Is that John McEvoy in the fourth pic with hair?’

Mark Hellings: ‘I was probably at this party, but thanks to the rum punch have absolutely no recollection of it.’

Sarah Dunning: ‘Yes definitely John McEvoy with hair and a tie!!’

Network East

Netw0rk East was an Asian magazine show dating from the late 1980s and 1990s it included a mix of dance, music and other items about British Asian life. It had various presenters including Mo Dutta, Sonia Doel, Sanjeev Kohli, Rajesh Mirchandani and Shyama Perera. Narendhra Morar was the series editor in the late 1980s, with John Wilcox being the Executive Producer.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making this title grab available.

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

Lynn Cullimore: ‘I worked in that department with Narendra! I remember it well. Mainly because everyone in that department shared everthing – if they went to the canteen for a Kit Kat it was shared amongst us all. I particularly remember the music programmes as the artists had no idea of timing and just played on and on until we had to just cut in and stop it! So funny. Oh happy days.’

Victoria Trow: ‘Narendra Morar was Series Producer. Lots of talented people covered not only music but all kinds of topics of interest to the Asian Community. I was asst editor on The Bollywood Story (never repeated I fear because of copyright issues, clearances were hell) and also a researcher on a lovely piece about a group of Sikhs who had fought in WW2 going to Belgium for a commemoration of their fathers & uncles who had fought in WW1. Great days.’

Ruth Barretto: ‘Paresh Solanki also worked on the programme when Narendra left. It was one of the best departments I ever worked in. It was like one big happy family. I worked on it when Sonia Sangha (Deol) and Sanjeev Kohli were the presenters. Real fun times.’

Peter Poole: ‘I worked on it many times in Studio B. Studio links, interviews and music were recorded. For larger music recordings Studio A was used. In the 1990’s the programme featured contemporary Asian pop music.’

Studio 6 – Presentation Suite

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing this facilities list for Radio Studio 6 at Pebble Mill, which was a self-op studio, used for Radio 2’s night time programming. It was quite a nice studio and sometimes used by audio unit for SM driven shows. It had a small kitchen to keep the presenters happy.

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

Pete Simpkin: ‘I believe it was used by Alex Lester for his very early morning show on R2.’

Andy Walters: ‘Those two studios were replicated in the Mailbox and are now used mainly by the Asian Network. Studio 6 and 6+ could work as two independent studios and did the last live radio programmes to come out of Pebble Mill running as late as December 2004 I think (Local Radio and Asian Network were the first to leave in Summer 2004). The sound desks went to Cardiff prison for the fledgling prison radio project. The digispot system was upgraded to a basic RCS playout system as used in some commercial radio stations. I think Janice Long used 6+ and Alex Lester used the slightly smaller 6. Radio 1 at Yalding House also used those Eela sound desks until 2005 as did the Asian Network in Leicester when they were based at Epic House.’

Chris Marshall: ‘You’re right Pete, it was primarily used for R2 overnights. Alex Lester, Annie Nightingale, Mo Dutta, Katrina (she of the waves) er, I can’t remember any others! R2 we’re always hugely suspicious of the digital play out system, believing that anything other than DJs playing their own CDs was the work of the devil. We always were way ahead of our time. Trying to recall the name of the consultant (and subsequently producer) who set it up. Robin Valk, I think? And in the day, we used it mostly as an editing suite, I think. Can’t remember recording in there.’

Kulwant Sidhu: ‘Remember it well. Often in there with mo dutta on the early Saturday and Sunday morning shows for R2.’