Working in Television – Clare Stride

Excerpt from ‘Working in Television’ 1980, by Jan Leeming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is an excerpt from an interview with Clare Stride, from a book called Working in Television written in 1980 by Jan Leeming, who worked at Pebble Mill for a time. The aim was to encourage young people to think about careers in television. Clare was working as a research assistant at the time, and later became a producer on The Clothes Show and a series producer on various Daytime shows. I worked with her when she was a producer on Good Morning with Anne and Nick in the early 1990s. She sadly died aged 55 in 2006.

Thanks to Jonathan Dick for sharing the photo, who has sadly died since sharing the excerpts.

Clare Stride on the Severn Valley Railway. Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission

Pebble Mill at One – Verona trip – Photos by Ian Collins

Photos by Ian Collins, no reproduction without permission.

The photos show a ‘Pebble Mill at One’ location trip to Verona, in Italy, in 1985.  Presenters Marian Foster and Bob Langley are featured, along with director, Tony Rayner, producer, Clare Stride, and production assistant, Jane Mclean.  Also pictured are Vision Supervisor, Ian Dewar, Engineering Manager, Gordon White,  Cameraman, Dave Ballantyne, and Electrician, Phil Vaughan. Ian Collins was on VT, Roger Ecclestone was producer, although he isn’t pictured in the photos.

The trip included shoots in Milan, Lake Garda, Lake Como, and Verona.

Jane Mclean remembers the trip: ‘This was the famous trip where we interviewed Armani who lived in an all-white apartment and whose spotless white wall was left with a biro mark along it thanks to yours truly… Oh my how we laughed!’

Thanks to Roger Slater, Jane Mclean, Dave Bushell and Stuart Gandy for adding additional information.

 

Gardenwise – photo by Vanessa Jackson

Copyright Vanessa Jackson, no reproduction without permission.

‘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.

The Clothes Show, Thailand – photos by Andy Frizzell

Photos by Andy Frizzell, no reproduction without permission.

The photos are of a ‘Clothes Show’ shoot in Thailand.

Crew were Clare Stride Producer/Director, Cameraman was Eric Wise, Sound was John Gilbert and myself (Andy), Lighting. Jeff Banks was the presenter but I can’t remember for the life of me who the PA was (there must have been one surely). We travelled mostly in the north of Thailand to Chang Mai, Chang Rai, the Burmese border region and of course Bangkok. The girls in costume were from the hill tribes and were dressed to attract prospective husbands I seem to recall. Can’t find any more pictures at the moment, still sifting but there must be more of that trip.
Part of the trip involved the work of Oxfam trading where fair trade for goods was being setup in small communities. A young Caroline Lucas joined us in her role as press officer for Oxfam. (She is now the only Green party MP in the house of Commons)

Andy Frizzell

Clothes Show: Dream Wedding, Egypt – photos by Andy Frizzell


Photos by Andy Frizzell, no reproduction without permission.

‘The Clothes Show’ did an annual ‘Dream Wedding’ show, which included working with the bride and groom, helping arrange the wedding itself, and dressing the wedding party. One of the most ambitious was this one filmed on location in Egypt.

The crew were, Andy Frizzell (lighting), Steve Saunderson (camera), Keith Froggatt (camera), Roger slater (sound), Carol Sparrow (PA), Clare Stride (Series Producer), Alexandra Fraser (AP), Jane Galpin. Presenters were Jeff Banks and Caryn Franklin with Trevor Sorbie. Make up was Jill Gray (+ a n other) plus we took our own vicar Paul Daniel James ( true) researcher was Kath Moore.

The wedding took place over two days. Civil wedding day one then the religious (C of E) by the stepped pyramid at Sakhara day two. We were all pretty knackered having done in the region of a 35hr day!!! With a short rest break at about midnight ahead of the sunrise shoot.