Gyn Freeman and Nicky Steele, Radio WM

Photo by Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Co-presenters, Gyn Freeman and Nicky Steele in Area 2 of the Radio WM studio at Pebble Mill.

Thanks to Rod Fawcett for sharing the photo.

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

Gyn Freeman: Stuart Roper left, they brought Nicky to enable the station to still have a “double-header” – so I was the co-presenter of the show, as I was with Roper. Actually Nicky and I got on well together and the programme was popular but no way would either of these chaps let me drive the programme unless they took a break or I was doing the phone-in. Just to say that I am feeling just fine, but of course both Stuart and Nicky died so young. I did a double header on Radio 4 for a couple of series, the other presenter was Peter Purves, looking good and even older than me and the producer Peter Everett.’

Tim Manning: ‘If you look through the window, you’ll see that I was the producer, although not for the whole time that they worked together on air.’

Tim Beech: ‘Area 2. John Taynton always used that one for the shared evening show across the Midlands. Ed was always in 5, “driven” from Area 4. As was Tony Butler.’

Anthony Worrall: ‘I remember Nicky’s discos at Honiley Boot before his radio days!’

Gary Hudson: ‘I remember Nicky presenting gigs at Birmingham Town Hall in the 70s. He was already a star of BRMB, and – a day after the sad death of Ed Doolan – that’s a reminder that the commercial lot created all the major local radio personalities in those days – certainly in the West Midlands. Tony Butler was another contemporary, and of course Les Ross, who’d left Radio Birmingham for the glamour of the former Aston Hippodrome.’

Steve Jarvis: ‘I remember Nick when he was Nick Aire at Bishop Vesey School. He had the mot remarkable ten pin bowling style!’

Tim Beech: ‘Nicky of course sadly passed away many years ago – I just checked the date and it was 2001. Hard to believe it was that long ago.’

Chris Rolinson: ‘He was due to start at Saga in 2001, but he was already very ill and sadly died before we went on air.

He was slated to present the Saturday Afternoon show “The Saturday Alternative” from 2 till 6 and I had to sit in for him from launch.

It was very strange especially doing the first show that I knew a Midlands legend was due to present.

I hope I didn’t let him down…’

 

Children in Need – Viv Ellis

Viv Ellis CIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

It all started with a glass of wine in the club, as so many things did back then. I was working on Daytime Live as a producer/director having previously been at Radio WM. Gyn Freeman whom I had known at WM was one of the team coming up with that year’s Children In Need inserts from Pebble Mill. I have a horrible feeling it was 1988. Anyway, by the end of the evening I had accepted a dare to be sawn in half by a magician. Live. We conjured up a magician called Tony Shelley from Sutton Coldfield and for quite a few weeks I would go to his home so he could train me. On the night, Peter Purves was really funny – though I do think a Blue Peter badge for me would have been in order!

As for Steve Weddle, the editor of Daytime dressing as a chicken – it was kinda normal for him.

Viv Ellis

‘Kickstart’ – photos from Maggie Humphries & John Burkill

Photos from Maggie Humphries & John Burkill, no reproduction without permission.

‘Kickstart’ and ‘Junior Kickstart’ were outside broadcast series produced at Pebble Mill in the 1980s.   The different series staged motorcycle trials for seniors and juniors.  John Smith (who had worked on Pebble Mill at One, organising some of the most spectacular events like the Red Arrows) produced many of the series.  Peter Purves, ex Blue Peter presenter, was the presenter on ‘Kickstart’, with expert advice voiced by Mick Andrews.

The black and white photos show cameraman Jim Gray, recording ‘Junior Kickstart’, with the colour photo from John Burkill dating from 1983.

Jim Gray recording 'Junior Kickstart'