February 2018 – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

34 years since Torvill and Dean’s Gold Medal

With the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics today, it is 34 years since the Pebble Mill crew brought Torvill and Dean’s Gold Medal winning performance of Bolero to millions of viewers. The action was caught on Eric Wise’s single camera, when the Yugoslav pictures proved disappointing. Besides Eric, the team included Roger Guest on sound; Bill Youel, vision recording; and John Allinson, Engineering Manager.

The article above is from the internal BBC newsletter, Midlands News from March 1984. It gives the audience for the broadcast as 17.5 million, whilst the BBC today was listing it as 24 million.

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

Marie Phillips: ‘I remember this. I had tickets for their Show that night and was able to get them signed. I asked if they would be performing Bolero and Christopher Dean said “You will have to wait and see !” and of course, they did – wonderful.’

James Lund: ‘”Bad luck had led to disappointing coverage from the Yugoslav’s six rink-side cameras” – seems a strange way to describe things. Is it put diplomatically? Does anyone have further details? I assume the Pebble Mill camera was only for UK viewers, and not fed back to host broadcaster, JRT.’

John Taynton Technical Rehearsal at Birmingham Superprix

Photo by Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

This photo shows Radio WM presenter, John Taynton, in a technical rehearsal for the radio station’s coverage of the Birmingham Superprix, in the mid 1980s. The pit lane was alongside Bristol Street Motors, which was the central hub. The street circuit race ran for several years.

Thanks to Rod Fawcett for sharing the photo.

Nik Andrews after a recording of the Barmaid’s Arms, Radio WM

This photograph was taken after a recording of a show with Rosie (Mary Kendall) from the Barmaid’s Arms on Radio WM. She did a pre-recorded show without Malcolm on this occasion. Nik was a member of a country band who had been on the Barmaid’s Arms show previously and so were invited in on one of her shows. This was early 80s.

Thanks to Nik Andrews for sharing the photograph.

Elisabeth Seaborne

Elisabeth Seaborne, who worked in the Newsroom and in the Asian Unit, sadly died in January 2018.

Below are memories from those who worked with Elisabeth:

Diane Kemp: ‘I remember her from my days at Midlands Today. I always thought she was probably better read and more clued up than many of us (well certainly me). I also remember her telling me about working for Philip Donellan and Charles Parker. A direct link to two phenomenal documentary makers.
I’m sorry to hear she’s passed away.’

Carol Wilson: ‘When I knew her she was the camera diary supremo at Midlands Today. She seemed to know just about everyone. Sadly she became ill with MS and was incapacitated for most of her later years.’

Janet Collins: ‘Elisabeth also worked as Comms Clerk in the Planning Office’

Ted the Studio Cleaner

Photo by Graham Pettifer, no reproduction without permission

Ted the Studio cleaner in the corridor outside Studio A, taken in 1973.

Thanks to Graham Pettifer for taking and sharing the photograph.