It’s been two years in the making, but finally the 50th anniversary get-together was here, thanks to the lovely Liz Bracken, a lady I used to work with years ago at Piccadilly radio, as was (now Key103) in Manchester. I was there about 40 years ago and it was people from the first 10 years of Manchester‘s Premier radio station who attended.
Lots of my previous close colleagues were there to say hello to, many featured in this picture, can you guess many of them? If you have lived in the north-west and listened to the radio over the last several decades you may recognise Mike Shaft, Andy Crane, Becky Want, Timmy Mallett, and Mike Sweeney. Plus other really special friends who were there. It was so nice to have a good catch up. You know, like when virtually no years have gone by!
Andy Crane was a special mate, we were both broadcast assistants and apart from various behind the scenes roles, we used to do the overnight programs amongst other things. Then I left to go to the broom cupboard. After my stint in 86, I was having Bradley and I told Andy Crane that they were looking for more people for the children’s BBC afternoon presenters, and that’s how he began his career there. He always credits me, bless him!
Was also absolutely lovely to say hi to some of the ladies I used to work with, including Pat and Jayne, Sezmo and Martha, Karen and Mary and more.
Karen was in the photograph here when I stopped to have a chat with my ex-husband Tony, the kids’ dad, and his mate Ian Cook and Bernard Eccles who used to be in Sales with Tony, where he was working when I met him all those years ago.
It was nice to see Tony, we don’t see each other very often and I don’t mind him at all! Lol. He was on quite funny form, over from Spain for the trip.
So many lovely memories were rekindled, and I spent a time in part of my brain I haven’t visited for donkeys’ years, well about 40 years to be honest. Thanks to Liz and Co for organising.
Btw the 50th anniversary book, “For the Record Piccadilly Radio 261”, is now on audiobook with lots of memories and clips. Going to get it on Audible!! https://www.audible.co.uk/
PS thought it was worth popping in here as well, that my lovely friend & colleague, Julia Roberts at QVC was also marking a 40th anniversary this week, with her first appearance on a national TV program. Nostalgia overload!
SNIPPETS
In the Lakes with Barry – at last!
late Friday night I drove to the Lake District from Devon, well worth it to see my dear friend Barry with whom I used to sing when he lived in Devon, and do politics stuff. He has a lovely place with his hubby Tom and gorgeous dogs including panda. Such an amazing place. We had a wonderful walk, a really chilled lunch, and a great catch up. I hope to see him again soon, he’s one of those people that makes my heart happy :-). Good luck to Barry with his local politics in Morecambe where he has left the previous party and is now a candidate for Reform! His place is utterly stunning and so are the views.
Get Well Soon Mum!
Mum’s had a knee operation 🙂 a whole replacement. Thanks to people on my #Thursdaybantz Facebook live that I do every week, for so many well wishes. She’s doing well and for those who asked, she’s feeling much better after a couple of days delay coming home because of an adverse reaction to some of the meds. She’s now comfortable at home, sleeping well, doing her exercises and is getting better by the day! Onwards and upwards and hopefully out in the woods as soon as possible, renewing her daily walks with me when she’s ready!
Alison Cork’s missing stag
#findHenry !! Alison’s huge landmark bronze life-size stag Henry, that’s been outside her house for 20 years, was stolen this week, if you know anything about it get in touch with her on social media.
And there’s more about it here. She’d love your help so please don’t hesitate if you have any leads.
Congrats to Tony B
Those with long memories will know that Tony Blackburn used to be my first telly hubby, and called me his telly Wife, back in the day when we used to do music programs on QVC, selling CDs et cetera. Well congratulations to Tony who just recently got awarded an OBE, well-deserved, well done Tone!
Watch – spent a lot of time talking about bird food this week on the fab My Garden Escape shows which I did on style channel and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Lorna was on most of them with me and we did lots of the grumpy gardener bird food offers. So when I saw this cute post on Facebook this week, I thought, how fascinating. It’s very therapeutic, not only watching how the little bird creates her nest in a bird box, under the watchful eye of the timelapse camera, but also seeing her eggs, then fledgelings, develop.
Bless. Something different for you this week :-). Enjoy! Considering the clocks go forwards on Saturday night, later evenings are just around the corner and hopefully so is spring! (See it here).
Blooper/funny – ‘After the party’ – look at these cute cats, how funny – I bet it makes you smile. I bet some people felt like this after the Piccadilly radio bash on Saturday night! Not me though, I had a lovely night’s sleep! (See it here).
Podcast – Go here to get the latest Inside QVC podcast from Will, and the current one if you haven’t listened yet :-). Don’t forget there’s a massive back list to catch up on, too!
This week, Will dips into the archives for a fabulous chat with Glenn Campbell. Including about his early days getting into fashion, great stories don’t miss it! Nb new ones soon including Julien Macdonald!
Vlog – very exciting teasers of the upcoming deals on QVC of late. One of them is the ninja massive 10.4 L air fryer, with Flexdrawer, which also has maxi crisp setting – very good for frozen food! And lots of versatility, as it can be two little drawers or one big Megazone. It’s big, but you’ll almost certainly never need your ordinary oven again. I did a Facebook live on QVC‘s Facebook page on Tuesday night, guess what I cooked! Watch it here.
Either tune in to see the whole presentation online now with lovely Eilidh from when she did the prelaunch on her Monday night cookery show, or see it live Saturday night through Sunday on QVC while stocks last!
Book of the Week – ‘Every Move You Make’ by top crime author C L Taylor is out this week and I will be getting stuck into it as soon as I finish my latest book.
Latest is ‘The Killing Game’, second in the series featuring Simon Wise the detective, by Michael Dylan. Really enjoyed the first one, it had lots of ingredients in that made it a real hit. Very cleverly done with compelling characters, skilfully drawn, featuring a serial killer who is murdering rich men and a detective down on his luck, facing losing his job and Homelife. Really liked how it played out. Really good narration as well. Therefore I am now onto book 2.
Cally Taylor’s latest, however, is one in a long line of cleverly written psychological/crime stories, that have helped make her a regular best seller, and one of my regulars at the guest house in Devon! The premise is that the only way to stop a stalker is to become one! With a killer stalker on the loose, four women are terrified about who will be next – can collaboration save them as they turn the tables on the murderer! Looking forward to this very much!
QVC TOP DEALS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS
Friday (today) – go to qvcuk.com and search ‘today’s special value’ to see and buy what’s left of the super G Tech battery operated lawnmower, with the fabulous Tommy Cross returning to QVC at last!
Saturday – The Moda in Pele leather colourful trainers are here.
Sunday – it’s a big one featuring ninja, with the FlexDrawer. As mentioned above in the Facebook live I did this week on QVC‘s Facebook page, it’s the massive 10.4 L capacity that makes different types of cooking possible, and you can just use one side if you prefer. (For those who missed it on the newsletter last week, how my existing ninja saved my bacon with a cooking disaster down in Devon last week!
But that one wasn’t quite big enough to fit all of the jacket potatoes in which is why I had to put it in the oven in the first place, so had I bought myself a FlexDrawer, it would’ve probably also averted the disaster! I think I need to get one. See it during the day on Sunday.
Big deals ending Sunday night
Go to this section of our website each week to discover the current ones which often end on Sunday nights if there are any stocks left!
Big deals are available on air for usually a week, they may be longer online if stocks last. Occasionally they last a couple of weeks but there are new ones every Sunday night so come back again and see them on the link above.
Next week should include:
– style – Apricot ikat hanky hem shirt dress
– garden – plants2gardens classic Geum collection three x 2 L pots
– extra – cello mosaic electric touch melt burner with wax melt for home fragrancing
– beauty – Arkive cleanse and treat six-piece collection
– main – SFIXX dual set of two
Now back to the today’s special values for the rest of the week –
Monday – another massive garden Day for Easter Monday, and this is the ‘green lounge pop up folding gazebo’! Lorna and I did the pre-launch on the Garden escape show on Wednesday Teatime, then it disappeared until it launches again on Sunday evening at 9 pm with Victoria and Will. I’ve got Easter off this year otherwise I would love to have done it but I will probably end up buying one! Or two.
Lots of reasons and lots of occasions I can imagine myself using them.
Tuesday – skinsense are back bringing us a three-piece skin perfecting collection
Wednesday – m-sport have a 10-piece complete inside outside car cleaning kit
Thursday – the blushly silicon sonic and heated face brush debuts
Friday – it’s cosy home time with a pack of two, four-piece duvet sets 🙂
Friday 9 pm – vax, with a new carpet washer, including solution, specially for homes with pets – more about this next week!
Plus going on sale earlier in the week, the new Elemis pro collagen Brighten and energise five-piece skincare collection! Time to stock up 🙂
Next week – a big Easter weekend with lollipop and the family down, a hen party, and a trip to Wales! Plus I am organising another dinner in London with special VIPs, then will also have a directors meeting at the flats as the time draws close for the handover to the new property managing agents (yay!). And the midst all of this I’m supposed to be writing my 5th book… (!!)
Best wishes
Debs
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