Television – Page 239 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Why the ‘6.55 Special’ came from a Radio Studio – Mark Kershaw

Why was “6.55 Special” made in Radio Studio 1?

When the lunchtime programme Pebble Mill at One was first broadcast it was “serviced” by the galleries and cameras of the two proper TV studios at Pebble Mill. Studio A on a Tues and Friday, while the studio was being reset between dramas etc (“All Creatures”, “Basil Brush”, “Great Expectations” etc) and Studio B on a Mon, Wed and Thurs, because its cameras could be re-rigged back from the Foyer in time for the evenings “Midlands Today”.

PM@1 was only on the air Sept to mid May, so for the whole summer the production staff were potentially under-utilised. So in 1982? (not sure when) 6.55 Special was sold to BBC2, a weekday early evening live entertainment and chat show, 6.55-7.30 (I think).

But it couldn’t use the existing studios which were incredibly busy in the evenings.

And that is why Radio Studio 1 (the one used for classical recitals etc) was turned into a TV studio, with an audience rostra and a permanent set with a sofa chat area (seen in the photo for the 6.55 Special post) and a stage as performance area. The sound was mixed in the radio sound control room, where the mobile lighting control desk was also rigged. The “lightweight” OB scanner CM2 was parked outside just off the fire track and used as production and vision control, with VT as well played from the scanner, but also connected up to Pebble Mill’s VT area.

Eventually when the Standby TV Network Continuity Suite needed refurbishing, the area was re-modelled as a full TV gallery – Gallery C (not sure the date but early 80’s).From then on Pebble Mill @ One or any of it’s spin offs came from that discreet gallery, but before then the studio equipment at Pebble Mill was some of the most utilised kit in the whole of the BBC!

6.55 Special moved into the courtyard after the famous movable roof was installed. And that is why for the first series, at least, 6.55 Special came from a radio studio.

Mark Kershaw

Mark Kershaw directing Pebble Mill at One

6.55 Special – from Mark Kershaw

The early 1980’s 6.55 Special was a nightly chat show on BBC 2. It came from Studio 1 ( which was actually the radio studio using the CM2 Outside Broadcast unit for cameras.

The photo is of the production meeting before the show and includes – left to right: David Williams (music booker and producer of this particular show), Mark Kershaw (director), Sally James (presenter), and the back of David Soul’s (co-presenter) head. The photo is possibly for a special whole music show with Elkie Brooks, which turned out rather well!

Sally James co-presented the first series of 6.55 Special with David Soul, and the second with Paul Coia.

The second series came from the courtyard behind the Pebble Mill at One Studio C, with a retractable roof fitted in case of rain.

Stuart Gandy comments: “I definitely remember the courtyard being used for the 6.55 special, and from an audio point of view the roof wasn’t very successful, especially if it rained!. I cant quite remember if it was for this programme, or one that came later, buit at some point a scenery door was fitted to the back of Studio 1 to make it easier to get sets in and out.”

6.55 Special

‘The Clothes Show’ – photo by Gail Herbert

Clothes Show 1990 Beachy Head

Photo by Gail Herbert.

The Clothes Show (1986-2000) was a hugely popular fashion magazine show transmitted on Sunday afternoons. It started as a spin off from fashion items on Pebble Mill at One and was the brainchild of Exec Producer, Roger Casstles. The producers included Clare Stride, Jane Lomas and Colette Foster. Directors on the show included Clive Wagner, Tim Langford, Alex Fraser, Paul Vanezis.

Regular presenters included Selina Scott, Jeff Banks, Caryn Franklin, Brenda Emmanus, Margherita Taylor and Tim Vincent.

The title music was part of the Arthur Baker remix of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘In The Night’.

The show was so popular that a BBC magazine of the same name was launched, as well as the annual ‘Clothes Show Live’ event at the NEC, which is obviously still a fixture.

The television series became renowned for the fast pace of its editing, and creative use of digital video effects. The post production team won a BAFTA for their video editing in 1989.

Tim Langford was the director of this particular insert.

Jane Green comments about working on The Clothes Show: “I FM’d on some of the first Clothes Shows with Selina and Geoff. We did the first ever Bride of the Year in Bradley, Staffs, with Lindka Cierach designing the dress, and Trevor Sorbie and Barbara Daly, hair n make-up. Years later I was a director – at the British Fashion Awards I met a new young model called Kate Moss, a crazy Vivien Westwood and Philip Treacy, and a grumpy Naomi Campbell. My 11 year old daughter finds it hard to believe mummy had such a cool job. It was hard slog but great fun. Roger was a genius.”

Nativity Blues TX Card from Dave Bushell

Nativity Blues TX Card

Nativity Blues, was a hosted Pebble Mill drama recorded in Studio A, it was transmitted in 1989, and starred Alfred Molina, Julia Swift, Anna Cropper, John Normington and Trudie Styler (aka Mrs Sting). Directed by Sue Dunderdale and Jeremy Ancock.

It was written by Wendy Macleod.

The play is set two days before Christmas, new father Hank, is not coping well with the new baby or his marriage.

Dave Bushell was the lighting director.

“Help!” – photos by Lynda Kettle

Photos by Lynda Kettle, no reproduction without permission. Lynda Kettle was a Production Designer at BBC Pebble Mill, working on factual, entertainment and drama shows in studio and on location. The photos were taken as records of the Sets.

“Help!” was a BBC comedy transmitted in 1986 and ’88. It was a hosted series, recorded in Studio A. I’m not sure if both series were recorded at Pebble Mill or not. It was directed and produced by Mike Stephens and written by Joe Boyle. In the 1988 series James Culshaw played the part of Cornelius, Milton Johns – Mr Ball, Mandy Walsh – Mrs Costello, Sheila Fay – Annie, Sheila Flitton – Mrs Reilly, Mandy Humphrey – Fiona, Jake Abraham – Davva, David Albany – Lenny, Nicola Davies – Claudette, Stephen McGann – Tex.

Production Designer, Lynda Kettle also worked as a theatre designer and an artist, and now runs courses from her art studio http://www.lynda-kettle.com. She is a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham Water Colour Society. Midland Pastel Society and Birmingham Art Circle . She exhibits her paintings several times a year at selected galleries.

Help