Stuart Gandy – Page 17 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Ken Dudeney – Radio WM photocard

Ken Dudeney used to present a country music Saturday lunchtime show on Radio WM called ‘Town and Country’.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making the photocard available.

Michael Fisher remembers Ken well:

“I remember Ken from the Radio Birmingham days and was delighted to meet him at the reunion last August. He was also the one who “closed” Radio Brum and re-opened it with its new brand of WM.”

Radio Birmingham and Radio WM producer and presenter Pete Simpkin adds the following information:

“Ken still lives within a stone’s throw of Pebble Mill and has a comprehensive collection of memorabilia about Radio Birmingham/ WM. We shared many hair raising situations ‘on air’ and also he was the person who actually suggested the name WM when change was mooted but was shouted down!”

Andy Caddick worked with Ken:

“I worked with Ken in the early 80’s when he presented the afternoon show on WM. Lovely man and voice.”

Sparks, Andy Frizzell remembers a challenging booking:

“I lit a New Year’s Eve show that Ken hosted/produced at Longbridge Social Club. Frank Ifield headlined and allegedly had a contract that insisted on a follow spot on him. Lighting for radio? Hmmmm.”

Tim Manning:

“As an aside, most of the photos for these promotional flyers for the re-launched Radio WM were taken by Stuart Roper at the back of Pebble Mill by the stream. He had a favourite spot for taking them.”

Radio WM – John Taynton

John Taynton used to present the Late Show on Radio WM. Sadly, he died in Feb 2011, after a battle with cancer. The show he presented was current affairs and consumer based, and was one of the first shows to be syndicated across the Midlands network.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making this Radio WM Photocard of presenter John Taynton available.

Sparks, Andy Frizzell adds the following memory of John:

“One thing stands out for me. During the electricians strike in 1987 John came out to us on the picket line and handed us a bag for our hardship fund. It was full of cash from a collection organised by John and WM. Totally unexpected but very much appreciated. Came over as a kind and generous man and fully sympathised with us.”

Series producer and director, Kath Moore adds the following comment:

“John was my first boss. His 11am WM show circa 1987 was my chance to make tea, answer his phone-in phones and do the intro/ outro durations on the vinyls that he chose with consummate care and knowledge. He carried them to studio in a wire …supermarket basket I recall …. A real People’s Champ, he was tirelessly supportive and encouraging to those starting off – and there were many of us…. He set the bar high too on standards – and taught us to do the same, for which I’m grateful, daily. A lovely, feisty man.”

Producer, Rebecca Skidmore remembers listening to John’s show as a teenager:

“His show was my escape when I was being bullied at school in my teens. I used to lie under my duvet with my walkman on and listen to this very kind man helping people, and it just made everything seem better….”

Darren New travelled with John:

“I had the most amazing trip with John to Rwanda as part of Midlands Aid, Richard Uridge’s idea to raise money for the innocent people caught up in the genocide. His back pack never made it to Africa so we had to lend him some of our clothes. He was a great guy and a brilliant broadcaster.”

Radio WM, Paul Franks

Paul Franks had a career as an executive with Ford, before winning a competition at Radio WM and beginning a whole new career as a Sports front man for the station.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making this photocard available.

Gyn Freeman, Radio WM photocard

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making this photocard available.

Gyn Freeman was a presenter on Radio WM at BBC Pebble Mill; she was part of the 206 team with the late Stuart Roper.

Here are some comments from people who worked with Gyn:

Pete Simpkin: “Gyn and I had at first a ‘love-hate’ relationship…she worked in London supplying tapes of items to all the local stations and we both regarded this as a chore …….when she arrived in Birmingham to work with the late Stuart Roper we got on very well and I still treasure a recording of a live show from a Birmingahm canal where I was being instructed how to operate a canoe and was scared witless on air with only her cooling words from the bank to keep me going!”

Marie Phillips: “Gyn is my very best friend. We met when I was Children in Need Co-ordinator and she was co-producing it. We came to realise that her job was to report the projects we funded and mine was to protect the “good stories” from being exploited. We came to a very happy compromise and worked so well together.There are so many stories from the various CIN programmes – when we got stuck in the lift, “Dicky Heart and the Pacemakers” and so on … We forged a close friendship which continues and long may it. She has a formidable intellect and such a wealth of stories and we are never short of a laugh. Gyn is simply unique.”

Viv Ellis: “I loved working with her – she made me get sawn in half (by a magician) on Children In Need one year!”

Ed Doolan – Radio WM photo card

Ed Doolan

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making this Radio WM photo card of Ed Doolan available.

Ed Doolan was born in Sydney, Australia, and spent ten years working as a school teacher, before taking up broadcasting, originally in German. He started with Radio WM at BBC Pebble Mill in 1982, and began his consumer show in 1988. He was awarded an MBE in 1998, and was the first person to be awarded Honorary Degrees by Birmingham City University, University of Birmingham and Aston University!

Andrew Langstone makes the following comment about working for Radio WM:

“I did some stints of work experience during university vacations with BBC Radio WM (as it was then) assisting on the mid-morning ‘206 Team’ with Gyn Freeman and Stuart Roper. Production team was Phil Horner, and Bill Morris who went on to big things at Broadcasting House in London – I think he’s now left the BBC and is involved in the opening of The Olympics next year. The 206 team shared an office with Ed and also Malc and Rosie of ‘The Barmaids Arms’! Happy memories indeed!”

Tim Manning makes the following comment:

“I was Ed’s first producer when he joined BBC Radio WM from BRMB. It was an important and slightly nervous moment for the then senior management (Manager John Pickles and Programme Organiser Jeremy Robinson) as it was important both for the future of the re-launched station and morale that Ed’s show worked. Some longer-term members of staff weren’t entirely comfortable about his high-profile arrival from commercial radio and the new emphasis on personalities. Ed was nervous too, as moving was a risk for him and he needed to convince an audience which wasn’t just Birmingham, but we spent a few weeks before he went live settling ourselves in and recording some shows, and when he did hit the airwaves, we had a great time. I moved on to very different things, but the years have since proved that Radio WM turned out to be the perfect home for Ed.”