Was Johnners a crook?

[SPIKEISLAND9 46]

Surely someone else can recall this?

Long before the days of reality television...

Back in the days of the `Light Programme`, the `Home Service` and the `Third Programme on the wireless, when broadcasting really was London-centric, if Nottingham was mentioned, (about once a month,) locals would look at each other and say, "Oooooooooh!"

So imagine my surprise when the BBC announced that they were to try a special programme, coming from the City.

Early one evening, early to mid fifties* BBC say they are to attempt to commit a crime in the City of Nottingham, to be carried out by journalist Brian Johnstone, (later known as `Johnners`.) We were told that only the Chief Constable was in the know.

Johnstone - "I am on a narrow street facing a large jeweller`s shop." Me - "Ooooh, I think that will be H. Samuels."

Johnstone does his smash and grab, jumps into a car, and proceeds at speed past the Vic. Station and up Mansfield Road. All with `live` commentary - "We`re going up a hill, a sign for a Lido on our left, downhill now" etc.

Going up Mansfield Road, Sherwood, he became aware of a police vehicle following, and Johnstone had his collar felt opposite the Metropole.

Footage of live police chases on television, in full colour, with stereo sound can be seen nowadays almost anyday of the week. Put your mind back though to that time, and it was incredibly exciting to listen to, heightened by the fact that it was happening locally and on a familiar route. Was it live though, did it even happen at all, it could easily have been acted out in a studio.

Come on, dig deep, I cannot have been the only one sad enough to listen to the `wireless`?

* I Gurgled Johnners` early career at the BBC and found this :

>> In these early years, Johnstone was an occasional presenter of other BBC shows, including Come Dancing and All Your Own. Between 1948 and 1952 Johnstone presented a live broadcast segment Let`s Go Somewhere as part of the Saturday night radio series In Town Tonight. In some he stayed alone in the Chamber of Horrors, rode a circus horse, lay under a passing train, was hauled out of the sea by a helicopter and was attacked by a police dog.<<

That would seem a likely series for the escapade I quote above.

[DAVIDW 1,683]

The segment in the programme was called "Let's Go Somewhere" . Can't find any mention of the Nottingham programme but he did a similar thing on a the back of a police motorbike on the London to Brighton road on a bank holiday and it says it was a live outside broadcast.He also did a parachute jump on another occasion .

Must have been a popular segment of In Town Tonight , as there was a book published , which I assume lists some of the escapades. No idea whether it mentions the Nottingham piece but an image here :

http://www.popscreen.com/p/MTIwNTM1MjIx/Amazoncom-Lets-Go-Somewhere-B-Johnston-Books

[Mess 618]

For those interested in buying a copy.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=johnston&sts=t&tn=let%27s+go+somewhere

[bamber 128]

Great post Spikeisland.

About twenty years ago I remember talking to a Superintendent in the Notts Police (about to retire) who was an ex-City man. He said that back in the day they regularly practiced setting-up roadblocks and were very proud of being able to "surround" Nottingham within a few minutes of an alert being broadcast.

[mick2me 3,033]

Not Alf Bowley?

[bamber 128]

No, it wasn't Alf Bowley. Though it get's getting a bit frightening to think that 1979, the year of his retirement, will soon be forty years ago!