Ian Collins – Page 9 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Ainsley’s Barbecue Bible

Ainsley’s Barbecue Bible was a six part series made for BBC 2 in summer 1997, with a second series in 1998. Ben Warwick was the director, with producers, Roulla Xenides and Jane Lomas. The assistant producers were Sue Ashcroft and Lisa Kendrick, with Liz Darby being the PA on the first series and Jane Mclean the PA on the second.

The series involved Ainsley travelling round the world in search of the best barbecue ideas. His journey included: Britain, South Africa, Jamaica, Thailand, Australia and Greece.

Here is the link to the Radio Times entry for the first episode, from the BBC Genome project: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bf1a6891e372488fa092dc8f8f0ae415.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the grab available.

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

Roulla Xenides: ‘I made barbecued jerk chicken on Saturday using the jerk marinade recipe from the book which is a pretty good one. Many memories of the series including baboons attacking our BBQ at the Cape of Good Hope – we had to escape to the car and watch an entire family of them eating all of the ingredients for the South African Sosaties, not to mention the male baboon displaying his ‘virility’ in a rather belligerent manner. Annie Jenkins designed the graphics and this shot was filmed in her back garden. Funny, we were just talking about it this morning!’

Telly Addicts titles grab

Thanks to Ian Collins for making this titles grab available.

Telly Addicts was a BBC1 early evening, game show about television presented by Noel Edmonds. It was first transmitted in 1985, and ended in 1998. John King was the Executive Producer, with producers including Tim Manning and Richard Lewis. It was recorded in Studio A.

The questions were about television programmes past and present, with the usual format being a clip followed by questions. There were usually two teams of four people each, with a tournament style of 16 teams, in 8 qualifying heats, being adopted from 1987-1996.

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

Denny Hodge: ‘Yes fond memories doing the warm up on the show.’

Jane Green: ‘Your warm ups were a treat to see Denny. Remember them well. I worked on this. Noel was a dream to look after. Helicopter arrived literally 5 minutes before rehearsals began and he had his clothes all ready and pressed and he’d be in studio on time. No fuss, no silly demands. Went to collect him from his dressing room once and found him standing on a chair waving a ‘brick’ around. It was a new thing called a mobile phone and he was trying to get a signal. His very beautiful new wife Helen turned up to rehearsals one evening to support him as his much loved dog had just died and he was so upset. She just walked in – I didn’t know who she was and was about to ask her to leave when someone explained…’

Andrew Langstone: ‘My friend Jennifer Kings (was Hassall) was a production secretary on Telly Addicts. Managed to get us some tickets for a few recordings.’

Malcolm Hickman: ‘Didn’t John King flog the rights to Noel Edmonds?’

Richard Stevenson: ‘The first show I worked on in 1997. Ironically I then went on to work with Noel on numerous Gotchas (65 I think), Noel’s House Party and some great worldwide trips for Noel’s Christmas Presents.’

Belinda Essex: ‘I used to do auto cue sometimes’

Gill Thompson: ‘I used to organise the audiences for this show, never had a problem filling seats was always a popular one!’

Sarah Dunning: ‘And the graphic designer was the brilliant Annie Jenkins!’

Jane Upston: ‘I remember recruiting for this programme (I was Jane Morgan then and worked in HR). I remember Nick Hurran too, the Director and Jennifer Hassell. Who was the PA?’

Richard Stevenson: ‘Trudi Stanton and Roger Sutton vision mixed I think. Can’t remember the PA but it will come to me!….Thea Harvey?’

Langley Country

This still is from the titles of the series, Langley Country. Bob Langley presented the 30 minute, BBC 2 countryside programme, which was transmitted circa 2000. It seems to have formed half of ‘The Countryside’, a lunchtime hour of rural programming shown on BBC 2.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making this titles grab available.

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

Andrew Chorlton: ‘Did a couple of shoots on this, Isle of Man and Somerset both with Robert Pike on camera. I Know the IOM shoot was 1997 or thereabouts because we shared our digs with the cast of Waking Ned which was being shot on the island.’

Ainsley’s Big Cook Out

This titles grab is from the six part cookery series: Ainsley’s Big Cook Out, which went out in summer 1999. Here is the Radio Times entry for the first episode, courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

‘Beginning a six-part travelling cookery programme. Chef
Ainsley Harriott travels the Americas in search of the finest local ingredients with which to prepare his own barbecue recipes, starting in the Canadian island province of Newfoundland.
He visits Signal Hill, just outside the capital, and also goes white-water rafting in western Quebec. Harriott’s creations include scallops with coriander, fishcakes, pan-fried cod, barbecued river eel and, for two Mounties, Canadian pancakes.’ http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/90ad756523aa4b799016adeb0d8fda5a

The producer was Sara Kozak, with Roger Casstles as Exec Producer.

Thanks to VT editor, Ian Collins, for making the grab available.

The Good Food Show

The Good Food Show went out on BBC 1 at 7pm in spring and summer 1995/6. There were 15 episodes in all. The food magazine show was presented by Juliet Morris and Will Hanrahan, with journalist, Pete McCarthy adding witty insights. The show included simple recipes, as well as consumer investigations.

Here is the link to the Radio Times entry for the first ‘appetiser’ episode of the series, from the BBC Genome project: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a0e06a2b4e3849a1a40d0c590687554c.

Ben Warwick was the series director, and Mary Clyne the series producer. Jane Lomas was a producer on the show.

Thanks to VT editor, Ian Collins for sharing this titles grab.

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

Pete Simpkin: ‘I remember a young female continuity announcer with a ‘terribly affected ‘ voice linking to a TX of this as ‘The gid fid shay’…..ouch!!!!!!!’