Dave Chapman, the classic Doctor Who visual effects guy, hid a secret message in some on-screen graphics in Colin Baker's first full episode as the Doctor (the blocks are teletext "graphics" and they decode to letters):
Lets be fair here. Ian Stirling was a legend and in line with the times a bit of a p**head. My old man worked at the transmission centre for GPO and after introducing the late film on a Friday/Saturday Ian would wink and disappear normally to Mr Harrys club on Plymouth Hoe.
He'd appear back for closedown - half cut with any ahem "trade" waiting for him to close Westward/TSW down for the night.
My Dad and colleagues would always get a thanks guys from Ian as they would help cover any issues. But it was worth the malt at Christmas from IVCs.
Many years later I had the pleasure of a South West Presenter falling down the stairs of the gay club in Plymouth drunk and cutting his hand on glass. No big deal- till they appeared on "S" on Monday and when asked what happened to his hand -"oh I did it playing rugby on Saturday". Cue much mirth on the Plymouth gay scene!
Going off-topic a bit, but I’ve heard similar tales of how continuity announcers unofficially slipped out of the building during a film, schools hours or Children’s ITV - some “moonlighting” by recording VOs or similar at a location elsewhere in the city. I suppose that was one reason you didn’t always get an apology during a breakdown!
In some regions, the same announcer stayed on shift from startup (as early as 8.30am in the pre-TVam days) until closedown (which was often as late as 1am). I expect they were officially supposed to be at their desk at all times except to answer calls of nature, and probably ate lunch and dinner in the booth?
I love the idea of a someone from out of town meeting him in a gay bar, going back to his and being told that they have to stop off on the way because he's got read to the Shipping Forecast and play the national anthem
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 28 February 2021 11:29am - 2 times in total
This was mentioned on The Last Leg last night. Ian Stirling apparently used Gus Honeybun's birthday slot to give out coded messages to the gay community in Plymouth
Going off-topic a bit, but I’ve heard similar tales of how continuity announcers unofficially slipped out of the building during a film, schools hours or Children’s ITV - some “moonlighting” by recording VOs or similar at a location elsewhere in the city. I suppose that was one reason you didn’t always get an apology during a breakdown!
In some regions, the same announcer stayed on shift from startup (as early as 8.30am in the pre-TVam days) until closedown (which was often as late as 1am). I expect they were officially supposed to be at their desk at all times except to answer calls of nature, and probably ate lunch and dinner in the booth?
There are stories about the bar in the Langham Hotel opposite BH, and BBC Radio announcers drinking right up to the last minute, then rushing across the road to deliver the TOH news bulletin etc
Going off-topic a bit, but I’ve heard similar tales of how continuity announcers unofficially slipped out of the building during a film, schools hours or Children’s ITV
I can't imagine that going down well with management. It was a requirement of the Equity agreement with ITV for there to be an announcer present at all times (thanks, I believe, to the negotiating skills of a Mr Currie of this parish).
Management knew that they were paying somebody to twiddle their thumbs during schools sequences so I can't imagine them taking kindly to the kind of thing you describe.
Going off-topic a bit, but I’ve heard similar tales of how continuity announcers unofficially slipped out of the building during a film, schools hours or Children’s ITV
I can't imagine that going down well with management. It was a requirement of the Equity agreement with ITV for there to be an announcer present at all times (thanks, I believe, to the negotiating skills of a Mr Currie of this parish).
Management knew that they were paying somebody to twiddle their thumbs during schools sequences so I can't imagine them taking kindly to the kind of thing you describe.
Ian Stirling used to voice radio commercials for Plymouth Sound. In those dark days before ISDN VO artists had to drive around from station to station. I can't remember his name, but in the 80s there was an article I read about one chap who did work for many ILRs, and spent hours driving up and down motorways
In some regions, the same announcer stayed on shift from startup (as early as 8.30am in the pre-TVam days) until closedown (which was often as late as 1am). I expect they were officially supposed to be at their desk at all times except to answer calls of nature, and probably ate lunch and dinner in the booth?
I know that this was a practice Tyne Tees did well into the 1980s, but I can’t think of any other regions where the announcers were on duty from start to close.
I can tell you with total certainty that many of the messages were also the work of students, so I do wonder if any of them were genuine some days!
Probably, I wonder how many funny names (what listeners to Chris Moyles will know as 'Toby Lerones') slipped through the net, not much point doing it otherwise. Though many a time I've thought about sending a birthday card for my wife into Cbeebies as a joke.... if I could find a photo of her that looked like it was taken in 2021 rather than 1981 I'd probably get away with it
I can tell you with total certainty that many of the messages were also the work of students, so I do wonder if any of them were genuine some days!
Probably, I wonder how many funny names (what listeners to Chris Moyles will know as 'Toby Lerones') slipped through the net, not much point doing it otherwise. Though many a time I've thought about sending a birthday card for my wife into Cbeebies as a joke.... if I could find a photo of her that looked like it was taken in 2021 rather than 1981 I'd probably get away with it
One of my student flat mates sprayed a mouthful of tea all over the TV screen when he heard his name read out by Judi Spiers. I was told the students union had kidnapped Gus in the 70s when he made an apparance in Dingles Dept store?
In some regions, the same announcer stayed on shift from startup (as early as 8.30am in the pre-TVam days) until closedown (which was often as late as 1am). I expect they were officially supposed to be at their desk at all times except to answer calls of nature, and probably ate lunch and dinner in the booth?
I know that this was a practice Tyne Tees did well into the 1980s, but I can’t think of any other regions where the announcers were on duty from start to close.
It's given me a vision of CA's closing down their station sat in their pyjamas drinking a mug of cocoa.
