lynda kettle – Page 4 – What Was Pebble Mill?

“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

The Master of Innocence – photos by Lynda Kettle

Master of Innocence studio set

Master of Innocence dining room set

The Master of Innocence was a BBC 2 contemporary military drama recorded at Pebble Mill in Studio A. It probably dates from the early 1980s, and was probably a hosted show. Mechael Taylor was the costume designer, and Lynda Kettle the production designer. I think actor Peter Cellier starred in the series, but I cannot find many details about the drama.

Please add a comment if you can add more details about this drama.

Two Point Four Children – Lynda Kettle’s photos

Two Point Four Children was a studio based sitcom, with an audience, and outside broadcast inserts, hosted at Pebble Mill in Studio A. It was directed and produced by Richard Boden, written and created by Andrew Marshall. It was broadcast in the 1990s, there being eight series in all, although I don’t know how many were made at Pebble Mill.

It featured the lives of the extremely very average Porter family, who often faced unusual situations and bad luck. Belinda Lang played Bill Porter, with Gary Olsen as Ben Porter.

Studio A Set of Two Point Four Children

‘The Brothers’

'The Brothers' Cast & Crew

The Brothers was a long running series about a family in the road haulage business.

There were 8 series in all, going out between 1970 and 1976, including 92 x 50 min episodes.

The final series was directed by Mary Ridge, and produced by Bill Sellars.

The drama starred Jean Anderson as Mary Hammond, Richard Easton as Brian Hammond, Robin Chadwick as David Hammond, Jennifer Wilson as Jennifer Kingsley, Derek Benfield as Bill Riley, Margaret Ashcroft as Gwen Riley, Patrick O’Connell as Edward Hammond, Colin Baker as Merroney, Carole Mowlan as Claire Miller, and Kate O’Mara as Jane Maxwell.

It was a hosted drama at BBC Pebble Mill. The final series was recorded at Pebble Mill, I’m not sure if any of the earlier ones were – please add a comment, if you can give more information.

Lynda Kettle was the production designer http://www.lynda-kettle.com and make up artist Maggie Thomas also worked on the series.

Hartbeat – Lynda Kettle’s photos

Hartbeat was a children’s studio based art show which was hosted by Pebble Mill, and recorded in Studio A. The producer/director was Chris Tandy. There were several series of Hartbeat between 1984-93. I’m not sure which series were recorded at Pebble Mill, but probably in the late 1980s. Tony Hart was the main presenter, but was joined by others like Margot Wilson, and Alison Millar.

Hartbeat set in Studio A