Troubleshooter (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Troubleshooter was a British
reality television
series, produced and shown by the BBC
, focusing on experienced business leaders visiting and advising small and often struggling UK businesses.
Launched in 1990 with Sir John Harvey-Jones MBE
ex of ICI, the series ran successfully for five series. After the series won a BAFTA, Harvey-Jones decided that he didn't want to become a television personality, after one newspaper called him the "most famous industrialist since Isambard Kingdom Brunel
."
The greatest achievement of the Troubleshooter programmes was to make business management a popular discussion subject in the homes of millions of British people, and to provide a role model for people wanting to enter business.
The series was revived a decade later in 2004 under the stewardship of Gerry Robinson
, under the title I'll Show Them Who's Boss!'
However, the reason that it made Harvey-Jones Britain's most notable and public business person was the fact that he engaged both the audience and the company on a human level. By both observing key issues (Harvey-Jones was always very focused on markets and customers first, and then systematic efficient production secondly, focused around people and responsibility), and then asked simple questions to confirm his view or see if the management actually saw the problem.
After selecting a breadth of companies, industries and situations, Harvey-Jones and executive producer Richard Reisz would review the applications to choose the selected applicants. Harvey-Jones would nominally only have access to any published accounts, management provided plans, and any items of press and media that could be found, before engaging the company.
The period of consultation was given over a period of at least three months per company, resulting in the third series requiring Harvey-Jones to have reserved dates in his diary for 50weeks of the year: the major reason he gave up the programme, to concentrate on his charitable activities and family.
The original six show proved so popular, that Harvey-Jones was contractually engaged for a second series of six show, and signed on to a further three series of seven shows each - the maximum Harvey-Jones would agree to sign-on for.
Organisations featured included Morgan Motor Company
, Copella
apple juice
and Triang toys
, where Harvey-Jones put his finger on the problems they faced or in some cases had created, and pointed the way to success. Sometimes they followed his advice, such as at Copella, and sometimes, notably at Morgan, he was met with absolute resistance.
, in 2004 the BBC engaged former Allied-Domecq CEO Gerry Robinson
. In deference to Harvey-Jones, Robinson insisted that the show be given a different name, which was agreed on as I’ll Show Them Who’s Boss. Now co-produced by the Open University
, in he went into struggling business and try to turn them round through advice and mentoring.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series, produced and shown by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, focusing on experienced business leaders visiting and advising small and often struggling UK businesses.
Launched in 1990 with Sir John Harvey-Jones MBE
John Harvey-Jones
Sir John Harvey-Jones MBE was an English businessman. He was the chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries from 1982 to 1987...
ex of ICI, the series ran successfully for five series. After the series won a BAFTA, Harvey-Jones decided that he didn't want to become a television personality, after one newspaper called him the "most famous industrialist since Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
."
The greatest achievement of the Troubleshooter programmes was to make business management a popular discussion subject in the homes of millions of British people, and to provide a role model for people wanting to enter business.
The series was revived a decade later in 2004 under the stewardship of Gerry Robinson
Gerry Robinson
Sir Gerrard Jude "Gerry" Robinson is an Irish businessman. He is the former non-executive Chairman of Allied Domecq and the ex-Chairman/Chief Executive of Granada.-Early life:...
, under the title I'll Show Them Who's Boss!'
Format
The premise of the show is pretty simple: struggling small British business needs help, is offered free advice by former plc-level director; advice often given over number of months is then edited into 1hour duration television show.However, the reason that it made Harvey-Jones Britain's most notable and public business person was the fact that he engaged both the audience and the company on a human level. By both observing key issues (Harvey-Jones was always very focused on markets and customers first, and then systematic efficient production secondly, focused around people and responsibility), and then asked simple questions to confirm his view or see if the management actually saw the problem.
Production
After originally approaching companies to produce the first series, the BBC production team for the subsequent series were over whelmed by applications from various British businesses and enterprises. This was in part for the quality of consultation that Harvey-Jones gave, but also for the publicity, which often resulted in an immediate revival for the company through increased sales.After selecting a breadth of companies, industries and situations, Harvey-Jones and executive producer Richard Reisz would review the applications to choose the selected applicants. Harvey-Jones would nominally only have access to any published accounts, management provided plans, and any items of press and media that could be found, before engaging the company.
The period of consultation was given over a period of at least three months per company, resulting in the third series requiring Harvey-Jones to have reserved dates in his diary for 50weeks of the year: the major reason he gave up the programme, to concentrate on his charitable activities and family.
The original six show proved so popular, that Harvey-Jones was contractually engaged for a second series of six show, and signed on to a further three series of seven shows each - the maximum Harvey-Jones would agree to sign-on for.
Harvey-Jones style
At its peak, Troubleshooter gained 3million viewers per episode. This was greatly in part for Harvey-Jones personable and frank, straightforward style, with judgements being given through his own manic cackle style:- You are being killed by slow strangulation
- The situation is barmy and intolerable
- It is possible to break through but only if you charge the guns
Organisations featured included Morgan Motor Company
Morgan Motor Company
The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...
, Copella
Copella
Copella is a British fruit juice company based in Boxford, Suffolk. It was founded in the 1930s. Copella juices are made from 100% pure pressed apples. The brand is now owned by Tropicana...
apple juice
Apple juice
Apple juice is a fruit juice manufactured by the maceration and pressing of apples. The resulting expelled juice may be further treated by enzymatic and centrifugal clarification to remove the starch and pectin, which holds fine particulate in suspension, and then pasteurized for packaging in...
and Triang toys
Tri-ang Railways
Tri-ang Railways was a British manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Lines Bros Ltd company who traded using the Tri-ang brand name...
, where Harvey-Jones put his finger on the problems they faced or in some cases had created, and pointed the way to success. Sometimes they followed his advice, such as at Copella, and sometimes, notably at Morgan, he was met with absolute resistance.
Businesses and organisations featured
- Apricot ComputersApricot ComputersApricot Computers is a British manufacturer of business personal computers, originally founded in 1965 as "Applied Computer Techniques" , changing its name to Apricot Computers, Ltd. in the 1980s...
- Churchill ChinaChurchill chinaChurchill China PLC is a British pottery manufacturer based in Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom.-History of the Company:Churchill China can trace its origins back to 1795 and the foundation of its first factory in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England.The Company also markets...
- Copella Fruit JuicesCopellaCopella is a British fruit juice company based in Boxford, Suffolk. It was founded in the 1930s. Copella juices are made from 100% pure pressed apples. The brand is now owned by Tropicana...
- Morgan Motor CompanyMorgan Motor CompanyThe Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...
- Norton Motorcycles
- Shropshire Health Authority
- South Yorkshire PoliceSouth Yorkshire PoliceSouth Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
- Tri-ang toysTri-ang RailwaysTri-ang Railways was a British manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Lines Bros Ltd company who traded using the Tri-ang brand name...
- Velden Engineering
I’ll Show Them Who’s Boss!
Trying to revive the series in light of the rise of reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, in 2004 the BBC engaged former Allied-Domecq CEO Gerry Robinson
Gerry Robinson
Sir Gerrard Jude "Gerry" Robinson is an Irish businessman. He is the former non-executive Chairman of Allied Domecq and the ex-Chairman/Chief Executive of Granada.-Early life:...
. In deference to Harvey-Jones, Robinson insisted that the show be given a different name, which was agreed on as I’ll Show Them Who’s Boss. Now co-produced by the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, in he went into struggling business and try to turn them round through advice and mentoring.