Fred Dibnah is back on the telly

[Cooper]

Just in case you have missed it Fred Dibnah’s programmes are back on BBC 4. This evening one of his best was on, about the building of Norman cathedrals. It can be found on the iPayer.
what I really enjoy is that he and his producer must have been really interested in the topics, not the personality issues of the people featured.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd take Fred D over any modern TV personality!

 

[thetyreman]

Fred was a legend RIP

 

[scockram]

Very sadly missed. His style of topic driven presentation was vastly superior to most of today's personality driven garbage. He really got into the technicalities of everything. Ironically he had a far more interesting personality anyway, without even trying!

His later work based on engineering/industrial architecture is great but my real favorite is his early steeplejack stuff. His feats are legendary. Refreshingly free of H&S or PPE!

 

[Phill05]

A wonderful man to chat too, I met him at the steam rally at Cromford Derbyshire and as he described how to make a part was so fascinating you could listen to him all day, the country lost a great man there.

 

[Fergie 307]

Very sadly missed. His style of topic driven presentation was vastly superior to most of today's personality driven garbage. He really got into the technicalities of everything. Ironically he had a far more interesting personality anyway, without even trying!

His later work based on engineering/industrial architecture is great but my real favorite is his early steeplejack stuff. His feats are legendary. Refreshingly free of H&S or PPE!

Always remember the big horn, the even bigger grin and "did you like that".
I am not good with heights, so just watching him ladder up a couple of hundred foot chimney used to make me feel a bit queasy, and as you say not a hard hat or high vis in sight. Brilliant.

 

[scockram]

"did you like that" - classic Dibnah!

I've no idea when or where it was but I've seen a video of one of his chimney "fells" where he actually looks and sounds a bit shaken afterwards. (Very unusual, he was normally so laid back, cavalier about everything). He came out with something like "a bit close that". It was, I think he was very lucky that time. Can't remember the details but it came down too soon or in the wrong direction. Even his warning hoot on the horn was cut short!