Friends and colleagues of Tony Bannister have been paying tribute to his much-loved personality and professional skills.
In August 2015 Tony Bannister died from cancer, just a few months after he'd been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the RTS North East & The Border Centre. The extent of his illness wasn't known at the time, and the Awards organisers, although very sad at his passing, are pleased that he was able to receive this acknowledgement of his skills before he died. We send condolences to his family.
Tony was a Graphic Designer with the BBC in Newcastle, responsible not only for conventional programme titles and captions. but also for set design, and the overall 'look' of decades of the region's TV output. In the citation for his Award, colleagues wrote:
"A few years ago I arranged a visit to the BBC North East for some students on a Media Production Degree Course. Tony met with them and his enthusiasm for his work and the value of graphics, impressed all the students. He is a good role model for many young people coming into the industry — a very nice person, who always makes time to talk and discuss issues."
"Tony was always a vital part of the team — quiet and modest, but delivering ‘the goods’ efficiently, and in a friendly and willing manner. When we were studio-recording [an opt-out programme] on Sundays, there was more than one occasion when a caption change was needed urgently — Tony would come in to make the change, even though it was his weekend off. I’ve been delighted still to see his name in the credits of programmes coming from Newcastle decades later."
"During the early 70s the BBC expanded its regional output to include regional drama, politics and light entertainment. All set design as well as graphics design was produced by him, and he supervised the construction of sets on site at the old BBC premises in New Bridge Street. During the late eighties the BBC was expanding its output from its new BBC premises in Newcastle, and he became the Graphics Designer for the ever-increasing output for children's television. A range of programmes including Jackanory and a number of children's dramas were made in Newcastle. He designed the opening title sequence for the highly successful children's drama Byker Grove. More recently, he has made an outstanding contribution to the regional magazine programme Look North, the regional current affairs programmes Close up North and Inside Out, the Sunday Politics programme and children's network television.
Everyone who has worked with Tony at the BBC in Newcastle comments on his enthusiasm, innovativeness and commitment to the programme-making process. After over 44 years in the business, he has started to reduce his work load... although the thought of Tony retiring creates a level of disbelief!"
"His work on set design must be mentioned. Our set for Townscape was remarkable, particularly in the first series when it was squeezed into the confines of the Broadcasting House (New Bridge Street) studio — like a Tardis, it was considerably larger than the room it was built in. Subsequent series came from the Pink Palace, but the temptation was resisted to expand the cosy set, which so brilliantly echoed the ethos of the ‘best of the built environment’ programme theme. Without Tony’s quiet work behind the scenes, television in the north east would have been much duller."
from Jonathan Edwards
Making the presentation, Jonathan Edwards said:
I’m delighted to tell you about the winner of this award who I first came across when I started doing some work for the BBC in Newcastle.
This is a man who began his career in the early 1970’s working on producing captions using black and white Letra-set. He quickly mastered the latest TV graphics technology — such as Aston and Paintbox — and before long was designing sets and graphics for local and national shows such as Townscape, Jackanory and Byker Grove.
He is quite a simply a graphics wizard who forty years after his first foray into captioning remains at the forefront of today’s digital technology, easily harnessing everything from 3D to special effects for the benefit of programmes produced from the BBC studios in Fenham.
TRIBUTES
As well as the above citations, tributes are coming in from friends and colleagues:
"Tony was an inspiring colleague and friend from my very first days at the BBC. He always aspired to produce the best work and urged others to do the same, helping people discover their own talents and to stand firm against any naysayers. He was an artist and designer who knew how to tell stories and make films, and was a big character. Warm, engaging, funny, and accepting, he will be missed by many." MARK MURRAY, Northern Upstart
"When Roger Burgess was setting up the ‘Townscape’ team, we’d had various meetings to get to know each other and plan what we would do. I knew the New Bridge Street studio well from working on ‘North Country’, but I’d only really seen the ‘Look North’ set, and mini sets constructed within it for things like ‘Heroes’. When we first walked in to 'Townscape's' wonderful green and cream ‘attic’, which so encapsulated what we were hoping to make programmes about, I was absolutely blown over — I had no idea how something so marvellous could be shoe-horned into that tiny studio space. Up to there it had all been rather daunting to me, because although I was thoroughly at home on the wireless, this was the first time as a ‘real’ television presenter. Tony's ultra-professional set boosted my confidence no end… I had to rise to this opportunity and do it justice. And then, at the first run-through, we saw the titles on the studio monitor… and there was the map of central Newcastle, and the name ‘Townscape’ appearing, incised into it like carved stone. It was magical! I will always hold that memory very dear." GRAEME ALDOUS, 'Townscape' Presentation Team
"Tony was a lovely man and a graphics maestro. Over so many years working with Tony on 'North of Westminster', 'Sunday Politics' and 'Look North', I have lost count of the number of times we were left charmed and delighted by his fabulous, inventive creations — always guaranteed to lift a TV package. He grasped quickly what was required journalistically and, as a talented artist, was able to add a touch of Tony magic. As well as his graphic talents, Tony also brought great humour and decency to the BBC. He will be hugely missed. My deepest condolences to his family." LUKE WALTON, BBC Political Reporter, Newcastle
"It was a pleasure to work with such an absolute gent who was a master of his craft. As a long-suffering Derby County fan, he could even sympathise with those of us doomed to follow North East football…" JEFF BROWN, BBC Newcastle
"I worked with Tony for 25 years. I am one of the "barbarians" he spoke about at the RTS [Awards] — it's to his credit that none of us were upset by his words.
Tony was a funny, genuine and independent man. He was always motivated by his desire, professionally, to do the right thing. He was a good man. He cared. That shone through whenever I spoke to him. I will miss him." DAVID MORRISON, BBC Newcastle
"I already miss Tony’s laid-back greeting as I walk into our Graphics department, I miss him seeing him walking in the corridor, always ready with a story guaranteed to make me laugh. Tony’s experience and talent was unquestionable and we are less colourful without him." CAROL MALIA, BBC Newcastle
“Tony was kind, polite and a gentleman. The level of his creativity was outstanding and he’s a colleague I will sorely miss. Every time he created a clever graphic for the programme, I would say – Tony, it’s your best yet! And it was always true…" HILTON DAVIS, Tech Op., BBC Newcastle
"If there was ever an example of someone who loved their job it was Tony. I only had the chance to work with him for a few short weeks, but the impact he had on the team here is clear to see. Tony was a true professional and a thoroughly decent man, gone far too soon." ANDREW ROBSON, Editor, Look North
There was also an excellent tribute in the Hexham Courant which featured Tony's family background, and his contribution to community life in Bardon Mill.
[The North East & The Border Centre Webmaster will be pleased to receive other tributes for possible inclusion on this page.]