Did You See - BBC TV Presentation

[@johnburns6422]

May i thank you a Thousand times for posting this video , As a strong BBC viewer / listener for most all of my life and now in my late late seventies i will continue until the breath in my body has gone , Again many thanks to you and the BBC , From Southern Ireland .

[@frazzleface753]

oh my goodness, the Noddy room actually caught on film! Fascinating stuff to any fan of BBC pres.

[@jeffcoote]

The room with the Noddy camera and BBC1 symbol clock and breakdown captions was in the transmission area at TV Centre. At the time of the video, this consisted of the 'network control' rooms for BBC1, BBC2 and a spare referred to as sub-control (used each year for switching between the various Wimbledon feeds; I also tested some special effects in there for the hitchhikers series) continuity suites (where the announcers sat) with a spare that was used for the early morning Open University programmes and 2 studios Pres A (used for the weather, Points of View and trailer production) and Pres B (used for the Old Grey Whistle Test, Ask Aspel, Eurovision voting and other programmes that only needed a modest studio). The transmission suite in the film was actually sub-control as the BBC1 control room was being refurbished. The whole presentation area was behind the lifts in the South Hall between the 4th and 5th floors. The entrance to the area was quite large as the doors had to accommodate scenery brought up from the ground floor-the back of the larger lift stopped between floors! As you entered the area, the Noddy room was on the left in a dark corridor. The room itself was about 3m square with just enough room to squeeze in if there was a problem or needed a special caption as the camera etc took up most of the. In good old BBC tradition, most of it was made of wood. The captions, including the symbol and clock were black and white as the colours were synthesized. If the camera was having a bad day, it was quite difficult to adjust the levels so that all 3 colours were shown correctly.

[@fraserkatie]

Thank you! So fascinating!

[@latexlife3064]

Would the Children's BBC Broom Cupboard end up in any of these "studios"?

[@jeffcoote]

latex life30 The broom cupboard was the same room that the announcers used.

[@christopherwilliams2093]

Just out of interest... how were in-vision CEEFAX pages and testcard operated - were they operated from the continuity suite or from network control?

[@Joyousmicor]

Jeff Coote Do you mean that Noddy cameras was at the Basement?

[@markjenkins9559]

@jeffcoote, thanks so much for posting this. I have very fond memories as a youngster of Dad taking my sister and I to TVC and still recall being mesmerised by the presentation suite, so much so that after I finished my A levels, I applied for the Tech Ops training programme. Sadly didn't make the grade but even after all these years, I'm still fascinated by the behind the scenes workings!

[@spig021]

You've made my day seeing this! A working film of The Noddy room, from my favourite era. Brilliant! More...more!!!

[@markcallum]

Amazing, Like going back in time, thanks so much for posting. Also spotted Tim Nicholls announcer, Susan Jack, Nigel Haunch, and yes 1981 sounds about right, 5 years before I joined up, and nothing had changed ! 22 years and 4 BBC 1 Control rooms later...just the network director and con announcer remained, the rest of the Gallery staff being replaced by scary computers that crashed all the time...!

[@gentsw13]

This was the way it was when Keith Martin was paid, during the 1970s, to talk, to press and to push and slide and slip-up. Help!

[@snorbitz5675]

Wow! Fascinating glimpse into the workings of the BBC in times past. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidgodwin6995]

Brilliant - If only people today knew what it took to do Telly! Brings back some happy memeories

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

Thank you so much for this upload I love anything to do with what happens behind the scenes

[@johnking5174]

1981 was a totally different world. BBC One, BBC Two and ITV = and that was your lot. Now we have hundreds of channels, and very little care given to programmes. We were better off with three or four channels and care taken with programmes in 1981, than what we have now in 2019.

[@christopherhulse8385]

I totally agree, we were better off quality wise with just 3 channels, today's multi channel set up has lost that quality.

[@juliam.mallen9019]

Absolutely agree

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

Nowadays you have channels dedicated for all sorts of interests, audiences and many more using sat dish, cable TV or broadband internet. Most of them are commercial TV channels, which means profits are always the top-most priority over quality programming.

[@BruceDanton-xw6eg]

You are of course so right there then too albeit alas though surely I wonder too.

[@johnking5174]

This was filmed on Friday 29th May 1981. That nights BBC1 schedule was - 7.10 Its A Knockout 8.00 Des O'Connor Tonight 8.50 Points of View 9.00 News 9.25 The Queen at the Jubilee Gala of English National Opera 10.45 Public School f/b News 11.20 Film: Brute Force. 1.00 Close

[@MrEurochannel]

...and was broadcast on Wednesday 10 June 1981 at 19.35, on BBC Two.

[@davidgodwin6995]

I joined in 1976, and remember well being in Sub Control at the mercy of a sports PA whilst he was directing the Today at Wimbledon highlights programme!

[@gentsw13]

So we were there at the same time!!

[@christopherwilliams2093]

@@gentsw13 You were an ITV continuity announcer!!!!

[@davidculmer1520]

Hi David, I joined Tv Network in 1977 so must have been there with you! I left and went on to othet things in the industry but retired after a total of 46 years! Good luck to you. Happy days.

[@zenonifore4912]

29th May 1981 it was recorded thanks to the reference of the new series of It's a Knockout starting that night.

[@neilrobinson1761]

The days when the BBC had perfect presentation.

[@andywatts8654]

They’re using robot cameramen now

[@hungrywolffilms]

Just a bit before my time - though I was pre-digital! hi to anyone who knew me..

[@juliam.mallen9019]

Proper timing is everything family 👌

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

Thanks for this brilliant upload

[@techiebelle]

6:00 Warwick Cross in control. Such a lovely chap

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

Thanks for uploading this to KZbin Jeff

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

Jeff this is really fascinating thanks a lot for this upload

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

I am loving these uploads by the way

[@johnking5174]

0:01 - This was the era before children's television would be given the umbrella branding CBBC which started in 1985. Before this, BBC 1 children's shows were linked by the regular BBC 1 continuity announcer, with just a few child friendly slides used.

[@jeffcoote]

In the meeting, Granville Jenkins, Colin Ward-Lewis, Clive Roslin, Gabys father), Una Rabbitte (later Coote!), Terry Walsh, Sue?. Also, Margaret Rushton, Pat Hubbard. Sorry if I've missed anyone.

[@markjenkins9559]

Lovely to see my Dad (Granville) at 4:42

[@johnking5174]

If you think the BBC network control/presentation was complicated back in 1981, you would have a headache when you saw how the ITV system of networking had to be done in 1981. Very different from the BBC, where network programming all played out from London normally to the regions. ITV was vastly different, with networked programmes played out from the region they were made in, for example Coronation St was played out into the network from the Granada Television Centre in Manchester.

[@jeffcoote]

Yes, not to mention those pesky ad breaks.

[@johnking5174]

@@jeffcoote Back in 1981, Thames and LWT acted as a sort of bedrock for the ITV network, with programmes played out to the network usually from the stations they were made in. Corrie played out from Granada, Crossroads from ATV etc.

[@duncanpriestley964]

2:38. What a pro! Different world then.

[@MrDirtybear]

This was May/June 1981, the BBC was a byword for the idea of a vast bureaucracy, it looks it from this-but that as a bureaucracy it worked was the point. I wonder what the modern digital equivalent looks like.....

[@johnking5174]

Very few staff involved now, as all output is digital. In reality, you could have a continuity announcer introducing BBC One programmes from his/her home, using their PC and a broadband connection to BBC Elstree Centre.

[@mrb.5610]

A 1U rack in an equipment bay somewhere.

[@markcallum]

OH GOD SUB CONTROL ! The viewer at home had a better view of the screen...SUB in so many ways !

[@barbaramcclatchie-andrews9493]

fun to see again i.e. after going w you

[@jeffcoote]

That's me in the red shirt in Sub-Control which was being used while NC1 was being refurbished into the layout shown in the 1993 video. Sub was also used for all the switching for Wimbledon at one time. I also did some effects tests for the Hitchhikers series in there also. Some faces I remember. Peter Gourd, Pauline Langfield &Brian Wolstenholme - think that must be Pres B as Pres A launched soon that summer. In Sub, me, Ann Davis, Una Rabbitte & Warwick Cross. More......

[@christopherwilliams2093]

I bet you that the BBC1 and BBC2 control rooms were being refurbished to incorporate the CEEFAX in-vision generators into the suites...

[@dunebasher1971]

It was much more to do with them being quite old at that point and needing upgraded.

[@archibaldchuff3557]

Jeff. Am I right in thinking that the Christmas idents (being fairly large) were housed and transmitted from Pres A? I assume In the corner somewhere so Jack Scott etc didn’t trip over them!

[@fraserkatie]

Someone tell me where the Noddy Room was and how big it was? Please?

[@gentsw13]

It was housed in a nearby broom cupboard.

[@joshgalka9414]

Nice1

[@deejayC]

Fascinating to see this, thank you. About 12 years later more filming was done in the same area shortly before operations moved to new automated control suites: I've edited together some of the footage and if you search for "BBC Presentation Department" you'll find it. (KZbin appear to have stopped support for posting links within replies so it's up to you to find it if you wish! Thanks KZbin!)

[@johnking5174]

1:17 - Now in 2024, the BBC duty office is awful. No help whatsoever, and they ensure to make it hard for people to ring in or contact online to make a complaint for feedback

[@blastfromthepast7005]

The narrator starting at 0:43 is BBC World Service newsreader Michael McLean.

[@jeffcoote]

That's John Trevor at 00:43.

[@blastfromthepast7005]

@@jeffcoote I beg to differ. Evidence: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amHEfWaQot-dgtE and kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIHUoot-gtykgbM

[@jeffcoote]

@@blastfromthepast7005 I was there in the room (in the red shirt) so I know what Tim Nicholls and the other announcers at that time looked like.

[@blastfromthepast7005]

@@jeffcoote Let me first thank you for uploading this very interesting material. Then, let me point out that I believe John Trevor is the announcer interviewed at the beginning of the video, but the voiceover starting at 00:43 is Michael McLean. I'm 99.9% sure of that, but I've just asked my announcer friend Brian Empringham, who was his workmate at the time, and I'm waiting for his confirmation.

[@jeffcoote]

@@blastfromthepast7005 Yes, it starts with John Trevor who was head announcer at the time. I don’t recognise the voice-over artist but he wasn’t one of the current TV continuity announcers at the time. The piece was from an edition of ‘Did You See?’ in 1981 and probably still have my original VHS off-air recording from 40 years ago somewhere so would have to check that to confirm.

[@johnking5174]

2:25 - Editing trailers in 2021 can all be done by one person on their laptop at home. How so different the broadcasting world is now in 2021 compared to 1981.

[@jeffcoote]

Editing was done mostly on 2-inch tape which meant 2 machines and a pencil. Any clips required from film had to be viewed on film then transferred to tape. Some programmes such as Match of the Day were edited using a jig with a razor blade and sticky tape but not recommended due to the way the tracks were recorded - too complicated to explain in words.

[@tortysoft]

The editor, the chap on the left in the VT sequence was Neil Pittaway I think. I don't recognise the play in man, on the right. The 'Pencils' were white 'Chinagraph' wax. One frame of TV picture equated to about half an inch in tape movement, you had to be careful you lined up on the right mark or there could be a flash frame ! Back then the Quads, AVR2s in this sequence, took ten seconds to produce a stable picture, so each edit required a rollback of ten seconds before the edit - hence the back and forth spooling shown in the clip. I spent years playing in to these edits, even longer showing the PA the previews to make a choice of what to show. It took about a week to do each trail, loads of people, studio time too. Physically cutting the tape was almost never done in my day, 1978 onwards, I only saw it three times in a decade.

[@zenonifore4912]

Interesting watch

[@mrhammadmossop1988ul-haq]

07:04 07:05 Opt-out regions

[@northernplacecorporation]

Transmission from 2-inch Quadruplex videotape.

[@isaganibasallote8483]

Warning: Do not smoking zone in BBC studio office.

[@davidgrahamscott]

Who's the girl at 5:00 in again? I remember her on some programme

[@jeffcoote]

David Graham Scott Her name is Margaret Rushton and she was one of the Presentation Editors. I don’t think she’s been on TV though.

[@johnking5174]

@@jeffcoote Hi Jeff, is it just me, or does anyone wish we can go back 30 years to when television was produced and presented like this?

[@jeffcoote]

John King Yes, indeed especially as lots of exciting new kit arrived - some digital effects esp. Pres A, where the trailers were packaged in real-time but was the most sophisticated studio in Europe.

[@icespittingfire]

on all footage from all eras, including the modern day, the regional opt-outs look stressful...

[@jeffcoote]

Yes, they were sometimes especially going into the early evening news when you had all 13 of them. The national regions did their own announcements for most junctions and the London script was sent using a text system with data at the top of the screen like Ceefax. There is a shot of the operator sitting at a screen in the corner of the control room - my first wife! Me in the red shirt. Blue Peter were the worst as they never used autocue so often overran. I had to fade them once to hit the 6.00 news and then got a call from a incandescent Biddy Baxter. Happy days. Grade 1 transmissions were also interesting as we had to run several video tape as well as film copies with appropriate gaps in case we had to switch over. I also put Live Aid on air on BBC2; as it was so last minute, nothing had been rehearsed or prepared as much as it should but we got there.

[@icespittingfire]

@@jeffcoote thanks for that, fascinating to read. an incandescent biddy baxter sounds most intimidating! could you briefly describe the nature of a Grade 1 transmission if you have a moment?

[@jeffcoote]

icespittingfire hi, yes I should have explained. A grade 1 transmission was an important event such as the Queen’s speech. Often this meant that the output was being taken by BBC Radio as well as other broadcasters.

[@icespittingfire]

@@jeffcoote thanks!

[@johnking5174]

@@jeffcoote London and the South East regional news in 1981 was provided by the BBC Nationwide team. I always wondered by the BBC treated London and the South East appalling with regional news, no dedicated team until London Plus started in 1984. At least Thames Television realised the untapped potential and launched Thames News in 1977. BBC were happy to use the Nationwide production team for regional news, and offer no other regional news in London/SE until 1984.

[@jacksugden8190]

I remember the Duty Office, as once phoned them. These days in 2020 online contact where the BBC won’t reply to my comments, all pretty pointless if you asked me, so take it offline BBC.

[@johnking5174]

Or you send a comment and get a reply in three weeks

[@johnking5174]

6:10 - Notice how "London" does not get a one minute regional news opt out here as stated that the other 11 regions did, all they get is a trailer and announcements. This is because of the dreadful way the BBC treated London and the South East region - by ignoring it. Nationwide and later the appalling Sixty Minutes programme provided the only news for London and the South East each evening with no other regional news for London. That all changed in 1984/85 with the launch of London Plus.

[@walriley48]

Did I spot Rob Brydon at 4:52 as one of the announcers rehearsing?

[@robalexander8065]

Unlikely, given Rob Brydon was only 16 years old when this was recorded.

[@atmakali9599]

What a horrible job. Stuck in a room with no daylight counting the seconds away looking at television sets all day. Nightmare.

[@johnking5174]

But very well paid. BBC offered rates of pay way above the average for someone working the same amount of hours say in a regular office. It is estimated that with the 1978 BBC pay settlement with the unions (caused by the famous pre Christmas strike action of December 1978) the BBC workers got 16% more per year than someone working for the same amount of hours in an office.

[@dhnyc7550]

For some of us it was a dream come true. It provided me with a bridge from Engineering into Production when Pres needed additional staff for the new BBC2 network. I never looked back.

[@atmakali9599]

It would have been a better word without television.

[@johnking5174]

4:46 - Awful wig

[@frazzleface753]

That's Clive Roslin. Father of Gabby.

[@MrDunkiep]

I was just thinking the same.

[@gordonroddick8131]

At 4.26 was that Peter Gourd who later became Head of Presentation at BBC Scotland?

[@jeffcoote]

Yes, that’s Peter. He left the BBC with several of us in 1986 to help set up Super Channel.