Antonia Bird (1951-2013)

Director, Antonia Bird sadly died last week. She directed the BBC 1, 1988 5 part series, Thin Air from Pebble Mill, a London Hosted production; it stared a young girl called Kate Hardie who is Bill Oddie’s daughter. The drama told the story of Rachel Hamilton, a radio reporter who investigates corruption in the community. It starred James Aubrey, Cristina Avery and Brian Bovell. It was written by Peter Busby and Sarah Dunant, produced by Caroline Oulton, with Steve Saunderson as the lighting cameraman, Amanda Atkinson the designer, and Simon Passmore the script editor.

Antonia Bird was 62 years old, and died of thyroid cancer. She began as a theatre director at the Royal Court and went on to direct Spooks, Cracker and The Village, as well as films: Priest, Face, and Ravenous, all starring Robert Carlyle. She won a TV Bafta for the 1993 single drama Safe, and Care, which was broadcast in 2000.

Below is the transmission card. Thanks to Maggie Humphries for sharing it.

Thin Air MH Thin Air TX card MH