William Smethurst

William Smethurst, photo by Simon Farquhar, no reproduction without permission

William Smethurst, photo by Simon Farquhar, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WILLIAM SMETHURST : TRIBUTE AND FUNERAL DETAILS

You may have heard on the news that William Smethurst, one time Editor of The Archers, passed away, on 22nd July.


William was at the helm when I was first trusted to mix the drama.  I have always remembered trying to compassionately manage a particularly lethargic spot operator during an episode that William was directing.  William, kindly but authoritatively, encouraged me to deal with the issue.  With knots in my stomach, fearing the immense hurt I was going to cause my colleague, I went into the studio, only to discover that he couldn’t have cared less!   I learned valuable lessons: that not everyone has the same sense of duty and obligation, and that difficult issues are best tackled sooner than later. This has stood me in good stead ever since.   Thank you, William.  Needless to say, said spot operator went on to become a very successful Radio 1 producer, later to forge a successful career in both broadcasting and feature films!

Writer, Jo Toye, was learning her craft at the same time that I was learning mine, and has sent this tribute:

“William arrived on the writing team of The Archers in the mid-Seventies and started his shake-up of the programme in his typically imaginative way then. By the time I joined the production team as a PA in 1980, he’d been Editor for a year and delighted in the team of ‘left-wing, feminist’ writers he’d engaged. His storylines eschewed social comment for what he called ‘social comedy’ – a typical Bridge Farm family story involved not the dawning realisation of domestic abuse but the saga of CND-supporting Pat changing their daily paper from the ‘Express’ to the ‘Guardian’, to Tony’s mystification.  As I typed the scripts his bold crossings-out and rewritings taught me everything I know – no chance of the writers doing their own rewrites then as everything was sent in hard copy, by post…

With his clear-sightedness about what The Archers should be – ‘the voice of the shires’  – and the support of then Network Editor Radio, Jock Gallagher, who’d rescued the programme from the doldrums after the retirement of the legendary Godfrey Baseley – William’s energy and ever-whirring marketing brain raised the programme’s profile and listenership.


So many of the characters he created are still there today – Caroline Sterling, Susan Carter, and the inimitable Grundys, while others (Nelson, Nigel) have passed into Archers mythology. So many of the writers he took on – me included – are still writing today.  His willingness to back untried young hopefuls didn’t stop at The Archers: when he later created and ran the sci-fi soap Jupiter Moon for BSkyB he gave their first big break to Anna Chancellor and Jason Durr.


He could be tough when he wanted to be – when he moved to Crossroads in 1986 he revelled in the title of ‘Butcher Bill’ – but he was also ingenious, inventive, intelligent, witty, warm, massively well-read, and a genuine lover of the countryside, its seasonal rhythms and its history.


He shepherded The Archers through what many now see as a golden age – in simpler times and in the very special atmosphere of Pebble Mill itself.   He brought great pleasure to millions of people but for me it was personal. I owe him everything and shall always be grateful.”

William’s funeral will be at 2pm, on Tuesday 2nd August, at Halford Village Church, Queen Street, Halford, Near Shipston on Stour.

Louise Willcox

(Here is an obituary for William Smethurst on the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36905761 )

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Julian Hitchcock: ‘Sad indeed. Fine, much deserved tributes. I loved his sense of mischief and gossip, wry chuckle and that dangerous glint in his eye that warned that you or your name might just find their way into Ambridge.’

Cathy Houghton: ‘I worked with him on Midlands Today, a really lovely man.’

Linda Flavell: ‘Loved working with Bill so many years ago, a truly lovely guy.’

 

 

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Andy Payne’s funeral

Andy Payne cable bashing for Tony Wigley on Pebble Mill at One, crica 1980

Andy Payne, on the left, cable bashing for Tony Wigley on Pebble Mill at One, crica 1980. Photo by Eurwyn Jones, no reproduction without permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Payne’s daughter, Jenni, has been in touch with the Father Brown production office to give them the funeral details.

They are going to have the celebration that ‘Andy would have wanted us to have’ on Friday, 5th August at 1pm, King’s Norton Church, B38 8RU. Then a gathering afterwards at the King’s Heath Cricket Club, B14 6DT. Jenni referred to this as ‘Dad’s second home’.

The family want anyone who would like to attend to know that they are welcome, and they’ve asked that we pass this information on.

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BBC Midlands Ident

Midlands ident

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

This screen grab of the BBC Midlands ident for BBC1 and 2, dates from 1968. The ident would have been used on regional opt programmes.

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Andy Payne

Photo from James French, no reproduction without permission

Photo from James French, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Payne, shown on the left here, sadly died on Friday 22nd July 2016, of acute myeloid leukemia. Andy was a brilliant cameraman, of both studio and single cameras. He could shoot drama, factual or live multi-camera. I remember that camera operator, and director, Karen Lamb, said to me once that Andy was the best BBC Birmingham cameraman, which in such illustrious company is quite an accolade. He was a quiet and thoughtful man, and a great person to have in your crew. Andy was just 55.

Andy worked on a whole variety of programmes including, Pebble Mill at One, Pebble Mill, Going for a Song, and latterly, Doctors.

On the right of photo is Dave Farline, who died in 2008, also of cancer.

Thanks to James French for the photograph.

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

Bob Davies: ‘This is such sad news. Almost unbelievable. Two lovely men who were brilliant camera men, both loved their work and always gave of their best. I was lucky enough to have them on my crew on many occasions. Andy was often my camera supervisor – never got flustered, always smiling, good natured, full of positive advice and enthusiasm. He and Dave were a terrific team in the studio, on location and as hand held operators.’

Karen Lamb: ‘Andy had the warmest smile and talent in abundance which he got working with the infamous and slightly scary but sexy crew 3 – camera supervisor Tony Wiggly, John Couzens (just Wow!) Jim Gray & Barry Foster. I don’t think it would have been as kind a fit for me welcoming the first girl cameraman to their crew (which I believe was considered) as Crew 5 the wonderful Keith Salmon, Dave Ballantyne, Norman Steemson & Lovely James French, thank you all for the amazing memories, Pebble Mill was the best.’

Ruth Barretto: ‘I first met Andy in the 80’s when I started working at Pebble Mill. I knew him and his dad. So lovely, true professional. Everyone always sang his praises.’

Graham Sherrington: ‘Andy guided me through my first ever outing as a drama Director on Doctors years ago. He was kind, generous and an incredibly talented DP.’

Jane Green: ‘I was very upset to hear about Andy. I was lucky enough to work with him on PM@1, drama, news. OBs – everything really. A really lovely man, with a super Brummie humour.’

Bryan Sharpe: ‘I remember Andy working on Midlands Today.. great guy and always helpful…. as I started out on my directing career.. sad loss!’

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A Touch of Love

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Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

This titles grab from A Touch of Love dates from 1993. A Touch of Love was a strand within Good Morning with Anne and Nick, the BBC1 Daytime magazine show. It went out at 11.40 each morning, with a romantic story being completed over the course of the week. The strand proved pretty popular with the viewers.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the grab available.

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