Photos from BBC Birmingham post production, no reproduction without permission.
The photos were taken at the 2008 Midlands Royal Television Society Awards held at the ICC in Birmingham. Amongst the winners were ‘Countryfile’ and the documentary series ‘Family Wanted’.
I’ve added most of the names, but please add a comment with any that I’ve left out.
Staff of BBC Birmingham were protesting this lunchtime on the steps of the Mailbox against the closure of factual television and radio network production. Flagship series like ‘Gardeners’ World’, ‘Coast’ and ‘Countryfile’, are scheduled to move from BBC Birmingham to Bristol from August 2012. Production staff face redundancy or relocation, whilst post production staff look likely to be made redundant, as BBC Bristol does not have its own post production facilities.
The number of staff and programmes made at BBC Birmingham has been being run down since the move from BBC Pebble Mill in 2005, and the commissioning guarantee from London has been quietly forgotten, eroding the production base.
When Pebble Mill was at its height there were around 1,500 staff. The number now at BBC Birmingham is only a couple of hundred.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
This photo was taken at the press launch of ‘Countryfile’s’ first mid-week primetime transmission.
The photo includes, left to right: Michael Collie (reporter), Caroline Jones (producer), Alan Miller (director), John Craven (presenter), Tim Manning, Ann Chancellor-Davies, Chris Bates (press officer), ?.
Thanks to Tim Manning for making the photo available.
Photograph by Annie Gumbley, no reproduction without permission.
The photo shows a Radio Birmingham trip on the river Severn at Worcester, featuring Geoff Meade and Andrew Thorman. Geoff Meade now works for Sky News, and Andrew Thorman is executive producer of ‘Countryfile’ and the farming output on Radio 4.
Copyright resides with the original holder; no reproduction without permission.
This is an early photo of the ‘Countryfile’ production team, and includes:
Back row l to r: Dan Cherrington, ?, Susie Lightfoot, Mark Jobst, ?, Julia Gillet, Caroline Smith, Anne Stevens.
next row: Mike Derby, Janice Wallace, Mike Fitzgerald, Patrick Flavelle, Jo Toye, Penny Searley, Mick Murphy
next row: John Clarke, Pam Relton, ?, Ruth Patterson, Yasmin Archer, Katharine Lapworth, Lynn Cullimore
Next row: ?, Ian Breach, Anne Brown, Chris Baines.
Apparently the photo was taken by the Press Office either as part of a publicity drive, or just before the Christmas Party.
The ‘Countryfile’ team did get together from time to time and had several epic Xmas parties hosted by Mike Fitzgerald. Long lunch and a return to the Club bar where revelry would include Mick Murphy playing the piano for a sing-song.
Countryfile’ began life in 1988. The rural affairs magazine show was fronted by John Craven for the next twenty years. It used to be transmitted on a Sunday morning, until the move to the 7pm Sunday evening slot in 2009. It is still made by BBC Birmingham.
The photo was taken on the front lawn of Pebble Mill, with Reception behind.
Thanks to Patrick Flavelle and Mike Fitzgerald for the additional information.
Patrick makes the following comment about working on ‘Countryfile’:
“I remain convinced that while it was a Press Office pic….it was actually taken on the day of the first Xmas party….we’re all togged up esp Murph with his DJ….Janice’s hair-do etc….but no matter the circ’s it bringsback v fond memories of a lovely team of people…I still tease my dear friend John Craven about the fact I worked in Countryfile before he did!!! ( He joined about 1year in)
In fact my claim to fame (Fitz would put me right on this one)…I think I was the first person after Fitz himself to work on Countryfile on a rolling weekly contract in the crossover between Farming and CF…I was so happy to be involved….and ended up there for over 10 years…happy memories galore.”