Pebble Mill at One
Encyclopedia
Pebble Mill at One was a popular British
lunchtime chat show broadcast live originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham
, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio. The reason for this was that a planned third studio was never constructed at the site and existing facilities were fully booked for network drama production and local news. The show ran from 1972 to 1986. For most of that period there were few television programmes transmitted in Britain on any channels during the day. For this reason the programme acquired a unique following from those who found themselves at home at lunchtime; housewives, students and those recovering from an illness remember it with fondness for its variety and the problems inherent with live television. Its best remembered theme tune was "As You Please" by the Raymond Lefevre
orchestra.
Pebble Mill at One was a rare daytime magazine programme at the time. Presenters during the run included Jan Leeming
, Donny MacLeod
, Fern Britton
, Marian Foster
, Debi Jones, Bob Langley
, David Seymour
, Magnus Magnusson
, Alan Titchmarsh
, Chris Baines
, Josephine Buchan and Paul Coia
.
There were several Pebble Mill spin-offs, particularly in the 1970s, such as the late night chat show Saturday Night at the Mill. Kenny Ball
And His Jazzmen were the regular house band, and they performed the show's signature tune. In 1981 a kind of early evening version called Six Fifty-five Special surfaced during the Mill's summer break, presented by Donny MacLeod and Marian Foster. In 1986 The Clothes Show
presented by Jeff Banks and Selina Scott was created from a strand first shown on "Pebble Mill at One".
One of Pebble Mill At Ones more frequently repeated scenes was in 1986 when Marian Foster introduced pop act Owen Paul
who was to perform his hit "My Favourite Waste Of Time
". He was to mime to a backing track but didn't see his cue to begin, so was seen standing looking into camera while the music played and his recorded voice was heard.
On 20 September 1979, the show was visited by a Sea Harrier
aircraft from RNAS Yeovilton (aircraft FRS.1 XZ451 of 700A Squadron) flown by Lieutenant Commander
Nigel "Sharkey" Ward
, which landed (and later took off) vertically, on the adjacent BBC Social Club's football pitch.
The programme returned the favour in 1986 by transmitting a live programme from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal in the English Channel. This programme, near the end of the programme's life, attracted its highest ever audience. When the decision was taken to end the show to make way for the new One O'clock News over 30,000 viewers wrote to the BBC to complain.
The Pebble Mill format returned in 1987 as Daytime Live, renamed Scene Today and finally Pebble Mill.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
lunchtime chat show broadcast live originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham
BBC Birmingham
BBC Birmingham is one of the oldest regional arms of the BBC, located in Birmingham, West Midlands. It was the first region outside of London to start broadcasting both the corporation's radio and television transmissions, the latter from the Sutton Coldfield television transmitter...
, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio. The reason for this was that a planned third studio was never constructed at the site and existing facilities were fully booked for network drama production and local news. The show ran from 1972 to 1986. For most of that period there were few television programmes transmitted in Britain on any channels during the day. For this reason the programme acquired a unique following from those who found themselves at home at lunchtime; housewives, students and those recovering from an illness remember it with fondness for its variety and the problems inherent with live television. Its best remembered theme tune was "As You Please" by the Raymond Lefevre
Raymond Lefèvre
Raymond Lefèvre was a French easy listening orchestra leader, arranger and composer.Born in Calais, France, Lefèvre is best known for his 1968 theme "Soul Coaxing ", which became an international hit...
orchestra.
Pebble Mill at One was a rare daytime magazine programme at the time. Presenters during the run included Jan Leeming
Jan Leeming
Jan Leeming is a British TV presenter and newsreader.-Career:Born Janet Atkins in Kent, England, and educated at the St. Joseph's Convent Grammar School, she worked as an actress and presenter in Australia and New Zealand before becoming a well-known face on British television in regional and...
, Donny MacLeod
Donny MacLeod
Donny MacLeod was a Scottish TV presenter. He was born in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. MacLeod is best known for appearing in the BBC 1 afternoon show Pebble Mill at One...
, Fern Britton
Fern Britton
Fern Britton is an English television presenter, known as the former main co-presenter on the ITV magazine programme This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield. She left the show on 17 July 2009, her 52nd birthday.- Early life :...
, Marian Foster
Marian Foster
Marian Foster is a British television and Radio Presenter.She is most famous for presenting the BBC1 afternoon chat show Pebble Mill at One for fourteen years, from 1972 to 1986. Before that she was one of ITV's first women reporters. She was also a host on the BBC2 car show Top Gear...
, Debi Jones, Bob Langley
Bob Langley
Bob Langley was a British television presenter and novelist, most famous for hosting the BBC1 afternoon chat show Pebble Mill At One. Langley also presented its late night version Saturday Night at The Mill.He began his broadcast career in the early days of Tyne Tees television on the nightly news...
, David Seymour
David Seymour
Chim was the pseudonym of David Seymour , a Polish photographer and photojournalist. Born Dawid Szymin in Warsaw to Polish Jewish parents, he became interested in photography while studying in Paris...
, Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson KBE was a television presenter, journalist, translator and writer. He was born in Iceland but lived in Scotland for almost all of his life, although he never took British citizenship...
, Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Titchmarsh
Alan Fred Titchmarsh, MBE DL is an English gardener, broadcaster and novelist. After working as a professional gardener and a garden journalist, he established himself as a media personality through appearances on gardening programmes...
, Chris Baines
Chris Baines
Professor Chris Baines is one of the UK's leading independent environmentalists. He is a gardener, naturalist, television presenter and author.Baines grew up in Sheffield...
, Josephine Buchan and Paul Coia
Paul Coia
Paul Coia is a Scottish television presenter and continuity announcer who was the first voice on Channel 4.-Early life and career:...
.
There were several Pebble Mill spin-offs, particularly in the 1970s, such as the late night chat show Saturday Night at the Mill. Kenny Ball
Kenny Ball
Kenny Ball is an English jazz musician, best known as the lead trumpet player in Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen.-Career:...
And His Jazzmen were the regular house band, and they performed the show's signature tune. In 1981 a kind of early evening version called Six Fifty-five Special surfaced during the Mill's summer break, presented by Donny MacLeod and Marian Foster. In 1986 The Clothes Show
The Clothes Show
The Clothes Show is a British television show about fashion that can currently be seen weeknights on Really. It was formerly broadcast on BBC One from 1986 to 2000.-BBC series :...
presented by Jeff Banks and Selina Scott was created from a strand first shown on "Pebble Mill at One".
One of Pebble Mill At Ones more frequently repeated scenes was in 1986 when Marian Foster introduced pop act Owen Paul
Owen Paul
Owen Paul , is a Scottish singer, best known in the UK for his 1986 #3 hit single, "My Favourite Waste of Time", a cover version of a song that was originally written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw...
who was to perform his hit "My Favourite Waste Of Time
My Favourite Waste of Time
"My Favourite Waste Of Time" is a single recorded by Scottish singer Owen Paul and released in 1986. It remains his biggest hit single, reaching number 3 in the UK charts in July 1986....
". He was to mime to a backing track but didn't see his cue to begin, so was seen standing looking into camera while the music played and his recorded voice was heard.
On 20 September 1979, the show was visited by a Sea Harrier
BAE Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
aircraft from RNAS Yeovilton (aircraft FRS.1 XZ451 of 700A Squadron) flown by Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Nigel "Sharkey" Ward
Nigel Ward
Commander Nigel "Sharkey" Ward DSC, AFC, RN commanded 801 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Invincible during the Falklands War, of April to June 1982, and was the senior Sea Harrier adviser to the Command on the tactics, direction and progress of the air war....
, which landed (and later took off) vertically, on the adjacent BBC Social Club's football pitch.
The programme returned the favour in 1986 by transmitting a live programme from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal in the English Channel. This programme, near the end of the programme's life, attracted its highest ever audience. When the decision was taken to end the show to make way for the new One O'clock News over 30,000 viewers wrote to the BBC to complain.
The Pebble Mill format returned in 1987 as Daytime Live, renamed Scene Today and finally Pebble Mill.