Craig-y-nos on BBC morning television

Well, did you see it? Our story was on telly. Well part of the story.....

This morning at 9.15am BBC TV launched new series on a Hundred Years of Britain - and we were there! I saw a photo of myself on the balcony with Miss White the teacher and so many of those that were in our book.

The star of this section, which lasted about ten minutes, was Barbara Pye one of the first people ever to be given stretomycin . She made a miracle cure and was home within 12 weeks.

Why Barbara? well this is how history is made: the researcher Nick Adey rang me and we talked at length about the subject. It was clear he was looking for a "happy angle". When I mentioned that there was an awful lot of dark stuff he said that it was daytime television and they didnt want to upset the viewers.

I mentioned Barbara Pye knowing she ticked all the tv boxes : glamorous, articulate, confident and with a good story and a happy ending.

And Barbara performed brilliantly sitting there between Michael Aspinall and Robert Winston in the BBC TV London studios.
I loved the way the BBC had reconstructed Dr Hubbard giving injections.

Valerie Brent also featured in the programme as one of only a couple of nurses still be alive who had worked at Craig-y-nos.

Nurse Glen is publicity shy or she would have been the ideal candidate having worked there for over 30 years.

BBC tv programme

I understand from Valerie Brent, retired Craig-y-nos nurse, that the BBC TV will be launching their new series on 50 years of the National Health Service on Monday March 28 at 9 am ( that's right! daytime television) .
Have yet to confirm with the producer and will post nearer the time with a reminder.

Barbara Pye had to go to London to do her interview and it must have been a very long and tiring day for her especially as she had recently come out of hospital. However Barbara is a key figure in the piece on TB because she took part in the original drug trial of streptomycin and was one of the few women in Craig-y-nos to receive the drug in 1948.