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GMTV

(February 2002)

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WH
Whataday Founding member
If you can remember, when GMTV launched, it was much different to TV-am, but eventually adopted the same format (due to falling ratings).
ED
ED Founding member
[I think Penny should leave GMTV - and present one of the regional news bulletins the BBC has - preferably the one read by Gordon Burns.]

NO THANK YOU NWT IS BAD ENOUGH WITHOUT PENNY SMITH SHE CAN STAY AT GMTV
EL
electric
Aha- yes... TV-am must have been the most unlucky ITV company in history.

When the technicians went on strike, the management (Bruce Gyngell) locked them out and operated the cameras etc themselves. Made for some VERY interesting television(!)
Countdown clocks would appear at regular intervals, cameras wobbled, mics were switched on and off etc etc etc...
Batman also made a huge comeback during this era believe it or not!

Maggie Thatcher congratulated the company on their tactics and trumpeted them as a pinnacle example of how she wanted other company policy in the UK to run.

She THEN invented the Channel 3 franchise auctions which, ironically, led to the death of TV-am.
This prompted her to send an unprecidented apology to the company.

Maggie Thatcher... for those of you too young to remember... ruined the UK beyond repair... this being a prime example of her governorship.

TV-am was a fine company that, quite frankly, lasted a lot longer in the face of adversity than similar companies would today. GMTV is poor in comparison.

DG
CC
CameraCrew1
When I worked at GMTV, there was never a hint of professional (NOTE SPELLING!!) differences between the presenters. The lovely Anthea would ask the floor crew (of whom I was one) for their cake and coffee/tea orders and get them right every time. Eamonn was the perfect gentleman always.
Have any of the people talking about this ever met any of the people they're gossiping about?
DA
Davidjb Founding member
Blimey TV-AM. I can always remember the opening titles for GOOD MORNING BRITAIN. All them birds that flew away. It still amazes me today how they got the birds to spell those words.
NE
newsat7
Quote:
CameraCrew1 on 8:01 pm on Feb. 4, 2002
When I worked at GMTV, there was never a hint of professional (NOTE SPELLING!!) differences between the presenters. The lovely Anthea would ask the floor crew (of whom I was one) for their cake and coffee/tea orders and get them right every time. Eamonn was the perfect gentleman always.
Have any of the people talking about this ever met any of the people they're gossiping about?


Good point, well made my son!
DA
Davidjb Founding member
I really miss GMTV's Fun In The Sun. The whole show came live from a sunny beach in spain during the summer school holidays. It had a really good team in spain and i miss this very much. Anthea turner and Ross kelly as the main hosts with Sally mean as the weather presenter and some other presenters who made the show good. Sadly i dont think it would work with most of the current presenters.
SP
spotlight
i think the bird part of the 'good morning Britain' sequence was done by putting loads of bird food on the ground in the shape of the words then firing a gun or something to make them fly away, all at once, simple yet fun
NG
noggin Founding member
Quote:
spotlight on 7:34 pm on Feb. 4, 2002
i think the bird part of the 'good morning Britain' sequence was done by putting loads of bird food on the ground in the shape of the words then firing a gun or something to make them fly away, all at once, simple yet fun


Didn't the pigeons fly backwards? ISTR that the sequence started with the pigeons flying around, and it looked like they all landed to make the words? (Almost as if they had played the sequence backwards?...)
GC
The great Cornholio
actually the pigeons were all trained and recruited for the job.
The agency 'Pigeons for TV' is well used and trusted by most of the London TV networks. (They are also used by Eastenders and The Bill - their number one pigeon is called 'Walter' and gets star treatment).

And Lara Logan on the sofa at GMTV? Well there's a space on my sofa she is welcome to if she wants.
MP
mphillp
What the hell are GMTV doing with Lara, first she's in Afghanistan reporting on the war and now today she did a link from the GMTV reception, rooting for that bloke who's going to lose from Pop Idol!

Do us a favour Lara, for your journalistic career, get off GMTV!

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