Monthly Archives: November 2011

Gardener of the Year 1999 – Vanessa Jackson

Photos by Vanessa Jackson, no reproduction without permission.

These photos were taken on location shoots for the heats of the ‘Gardener of the Year’ competition in late spring 1999.  They show gardening expert Nigel Colborn interviewing contributors, and visiting their gardens.

The ‘Gardener of the Year’ competition began in 1999.  It comprised of regional heats, which were held at the Botanical Gardens of Wales, and then a Final which was held at the Earth Centre in Doncaster.  The regional heats included question rounds on a specialist subject, a general knowledge gardening round, as well as skills tests, and a visit to the shortlisted candidates’ gardens. The judges included Nigel Colborn, Adam Pasco and Ali Ward.  The series was presented by Alan Titchmarsh.

I was the series producer of the competition in its first year. Subsequently the regional heats were dropped, but the Final, which included designing and building a show garden remained for the next ten years.Roger Casstles was the executive producer.

The competition was transmitted on BBC 2 in the Gardeners’ World Friday night slot in the run up to Christmas.

Vanessa Jackson

 

 

 

Costume Department Reunion 1999 – photo from Ruth Kiosses

Photo from Ruth Kiosses, no reproduction without permission.

This photo was taken at a reunion of the Costume Department in 1999.  It was held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Included in the photo are: Muriel Hewitt (front, red hair) Anne Mills (behind Muriel), Anne-Marie Morrell (on left in red, back row), next to Russell Barnett (senior costume designer), Lesley Thomas (mustard scarf), Maria Hurley, Annie Doling, Hilary Anne Hughes, Eileen Hubble, Pat Hadley, Linda Hill, Dawn Booth Brent Fulwood, Karen Bevins, Clive Ashman, Rossie Russon, Janice Rider (senior costume designer, back row in black), Liz Fahy, Wendy Schofield, Mark Ridley (dresser), Patricia Hodge Robinson (in blue on back row), Colin Jones (dresser, back row, black top), next to Sally Pearson (designer, fuchsia cardigan), Rachel Selby (2nd row extreme right). From left next to Muriel: Joyce Hawkins (senior costume designer); Bobby Gale (former dresser, now deceased); Gill Hardie (designer). Behind Bobby Gale – Vee Layton (designer, now deceased); to the left of Rachel Selby, in turquoise – Christine Grainger (costume assistant); to the left of Mark Ridley – Alison Mitchell. To the right of Janice Rider is Terry Patterson (designer). To Ann Doling’s left is Paul Patterson (MFS); Ginnie Hardy (designer); next to Ginnie – Al Barnett (senior costume designer); next to Al – Stephanie Hazeldine (designer). Tessa Wyatt ? – behind Paul Patterson.

Please add a comment if you can identify others, or can add more information

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‘Me and My Town’ – Lynn Cullimore

Me and My Town was a series done for Regional Television and produced by John Clarke. I was the Production Assistant. We had various Midland people – Hazel O’Connor being one of them – and we visited their town with them and went to their old school and places they used to go to. Sue Pollard was one and we went to her home town of Nottingham. I remember it was freezing cold and we were filming at Nottingham Castle. She was a laugh though and she kept calling me “Lynn Doll”. I remember her mum was wonderful and got out all the old photos of Su when she was a baby. John was brilliant with everyone which was his way and he was a joy to work with. The crew were from Magpie Films as they were in those days.

Lynn Cullimore


Pre-Pebble Mill buildings – Gosta Green – Dave Kirkwood

Gosta Green

Gosta Green. This was the main TV drama studio in Aston. It was sited just behind the original Aston University building. The impressive front facade reflected its former life as a bank. Behind it the area used for the studio floor reflected its later life as a cinema. The frontage was still there when I last looked (about 10 years ago) but the studio area had been demolished to lawns.

There are pictures of Carpenter Road and Gosta Green at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_Mill_Studios in ‘Early History’ section. There were other addresses such as in George Road, Berkeley Street.

The BBC in the 60’s was a very different place to work than today. There was a ‘family’ feel to the place and a vibrant social life built around the staff club.

Dave Kirkwood

‘Fighting Back’ – photo from John Greening

Photograph probably taken by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Fighting Back’:  TX 1 4 Aug 1986, 5 part series

Actress and singer Hazel O’Connor stars and sings the title song of ‘Fighting Back’.

Hazel plays Viv Sharpe, a young mother who just walked out on her current man  – father to her youngest child – and lands up back in her home town, Bristol.  Her mother’s dead, and she didn’t know, and no one wants to know her because of her past history.  She has no money to feed her kids, and to top it all she gets nicked and the children are put into care …… and her troubles are only just beginning.

‘Fighting Back’ also features Cheryl Maiker and Tont Carney as Viv’s children – Yvonne and Neil; Derek Thompson as Viv’s husband, Bruce; and Malcolm Frederick as Viv’s ex-lover.

John Greening

Jane Green remembers working on ‘Fighting Back’ well: ‘My first ever BBC day on work experience – in at the deep end – looking after Ms O’Connor. A right baptism of fire. I was supervised by Gareth Williams who was the FA on the studio floor. Pebble Mill made fab drama.’