Pebble Mill at One

Phil Sidey’s Leaving Party – photo Paul Scholes

Phil Sidey's leaving party

Photo from Paul Scholes, of Phil Sidey’s leaving party, in the Pebble Mill Foyer, Studio C, the home of ‘Pebble Mill at One’.

Phil Sidey was the head of centre from 1973 to 1983, when David Waine succeeded him.

Phil Sidey, born in 1926, died on the 15th October 1995 whilst walking in the Peak District, below is a quote from his obituary in the Independent, written by Leonard Miall:

‘As the Head of the BBC Network Production Centre at Birmingham, Phil Sidey was the man who converted Pebble Mill from a structural white elephant into a thriving source of daytime television. He was the first manager of Radio Leeds and played a leading role in establishing lively local broadcasting on a financial shoestring. He was a programme innovator with a spate of lively ideas and an abrasive tongue which tended to upset some of his colleagues. He was also an accomplished public speaker and a successful chairman of the Royal Television Society.’

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-phil-sidey-1579330.html

Please add a comment if you knew Phil Sidey and can add more information, or if you can identify people in the photo.

The Pebble Mill Garden – Pete Simpkin

Pebble Mill Garden

THE GARDEN

This was a feature on the ‘Pebble Mill at One’ daily programme but this picture shows our Local Radio production office on the top left, second floor, directly ahead on the second floor level can be seen the Local radio management office. The ground floor offices were part of the PM@1 offices.

Pete Simpkin

The Clothes Show 100th episode – Ivor William’s photos

The Clothes Show cake

Photos from Ivor Williams, no reproduction without permission.

This cake was made to celebrate the 100th episode of The Clothes Show. Ivor Williams was one of the VT editors who worked on the popular Sunday afternoon fashion magazine show. The spelling of IROV on the cake was an in-joke. The ‘SM’ on the cake, I think stands for Steve May, also a VT editor.

The Clothes Show went out between 1986 and 2000. It was executively produced at Pebble Mill by Roger Casstles. Series producers included Colette Foster and Jane Lomas. The show grew out of ‘Pebble Mill at One’ fashion items, and became a huge brand, leading to the BBC magazine of the same name and the annual ‘Clothes Show Live’ exhibition at the NEC.

Breakfast Time’s Selina Scott and designer Jeff Banks were the series’ first presenters. Other presenters over the years included Caryn Franklin, Tim Vincent, Brenda Emmanus, Richard Jobson, and Margherita Taylor. The show included catwalk and high street fashion, including make-overs. The title music was a remix by Arthur Baker of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘In the Night’ (off the 1986 ‘Disco’ album).

What really set the show apart were the high production values and innovations in digital video editing. The editing team were rewarded with a craft BAFTA award.

Saturday Night at the Mill – photos by John Burkill

Photos by John Burkill, no reproduction without permission.

‘Saturday Night at the Mill’ was a live entertainment show that went out between 1976-81. It was set in the courtyard behind the Pebble Mill foyer (where ‘Pebble Mill at One’ was situated).

An ice rink seems to feature in this episode of ‘Saturday Night at the Mill’, and Bob Langley is the host. Presenter Donny MacLeod is also featured, and it is possibly Anita Harris who is skating.

Please add a comment if you recognise other people in the photos, or can add other details.

Thanks

Vanessa

Saturday Night at the Mill

Photos by Ian Collins, Jim Gregory and John Burkill, no reproduction without permission.

These photos show various memorable episodes of Pebble Mill at One, and date from 1974 with the drag racing shots. Notable amongst them are the studio camera which has fallen off the curb and smashed lens first! Also included are the American College band performing on the front lawn, the arrival of a Harrier jump jet over Pebble Mill, the landing of a Royal Navy helicopter and Tom Coyne interviewing at the front of the building. There are also a number of photographs of location shoots for Pebble Mill at One. The skiing ones are a shoot by producer Tony Rayner.

Please post a comment, if you can add to the information here.

Harrier over Birmingham