An intrepid Victorian explorer from Boroughbridge is to be the subject of a new BBC2 series starring Ruby Wax, Mel B and Emily Atack.

Isabella Bird, who was born at Boroughbridge Hall in 1831, travelled alone across the lawless American Wild West, riding 800 miles on horseback through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

She befriended outlaws, climbed mountains, and faced grizzly bears in what was a restrictive era for women in Britain.

Using her original 1873 book A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains as inspiration for their own adventure, Ruby, Mel and Emily pay homage to this forgotten pioneer in the series Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip.

They explore the people, places and curious customs of an ever-changing America, while reflecting on the changes in western society over the last 150 years and their own experiences of womanhood.

The new series starts on BBC2 on Monday at 9pm.

Linda Dooks, secretary of the Boroughbridge and District Historical Society, said:

“Isabella Bird was born at Boroughbridge Hall to the Rev Edward Bird and his second wife Dora Lawson in 1831. The Lawsons have been owners of the hall for several generations.

“The Birds actually only stayed about six months before moving to Edinburgh, where she is buried.

“An ill child in 1850, she had a tumour removed from her spine.

“Doctors advised a sea voyage to aid her recovery her father gave her £100  ‘to leave and stay as long as the money lasted’. Her bright descriptive letters home formed the basis of An English Women in America.”

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Ms Dooks said Isabella went on to marry John Bishop in 1881, inheriting a large income after his death, which she used to extend her travels.

She added:

“First she travelled to India where she help found The John Bishop Memorial Hospital. Then on to Tibet, what was then Persia and Turkey.

“The following year she travelled to Baghdad and Tehran with a group of British soldiers.

“By now her writings were figuring in books, journals and magazines and she became a household name.

“She was the first woman to be allowed to join The Royal Geographical Society

“Her final journeys  took her up the Yangtze River, in China, where there is now a memorial garden because of the missionary work she did there.

“She then went on to Morocco, where she was given a beautiful black stallion as a gift from the sultan.

“She died at her home in Edinburgh in 1901.”

Ms Dooks said Boroughbridge only became aware of Isabelle and her exploits in the 1980s when a group of Chinese tourists asked where Isabella Bird was born.

She said:

“A plaque has since been erected on the wall in Hall Square at Boroughbridge and her exploits recorded in the book A history of Boroughbridge, published by the Boroughbridge Historical Society.”

Custodians of the Yorkshire Dales National Park have questioned whether its main purposes need to change to help tackle climate change.

A meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority heard the organisation was expected to lead the way over tackling climate change, but a consultants’ study found the level of emissions generated by visitors  were similar to those created by its residents.

The meeting heard that mainly due to the lack of public transport, visitors generated about two-thirds of residents’ emissions by just travelling to the area and returning home.

However, the carbon footprint of the residents of the national park is estimated to be around 18 per cent higher than the UK average.

The residents’ emissions from flying are estimated to be around 48 per cent higher than for an average UK resident.

Member champion for the natural environment Mark Corner told the meeting although the park authority could not dictate how visitors travelled to and from the park, it could encourage greener transport.

He said:

“Once drivers get to the park they have a very limited ability to get round other than the cars they come in. We need to look again at our public transport approach.”

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Nick Cotton, the authority’s recreation management member champion, questioned whether national parks should continue to promote themselves as international destinations given the large volumes of greenhouse gases that air travel generates.

He said:

“If we are saying come to beautiful Britain to the wealthy, developing countries in the Far East then aren’t we shooting ourselves in the foot a bit because we are actually encouraging more flights and more greenhouse gas emissions.”

Another member, Kevin Frea, called for the authority to relook at alternative ways of travelling to and around the park, pointing out how 36% of the park’s carbon emissions related to car travel.

Richard Foster, the leader of Craven District Council, also questioned whether it was right for the park be promoted nationally and internationally, through events such as the Tour de Yorkshire cycling race.

In response, the authority’s chief executive David Butterworth said while the authority had some influence on the park, it was not among the top five organisations that could make significant changes.

He said the national park was still being promoted to British and foreign tourists because the law had not caught up with the reality of climate change.

Mr Butterworth said he believed there was a contradiction between needing to tackle climate change and national parks’ statutory purposes.

He said he was optimistic the new government would review whether the climate change and nature emergencies should be enshrined in national parks’ main purposes.

Mr Butterworth told the meeting:

“The law says national park authorities exist to promote understanding and enjoyment. We have taken that over 50 years to mean that means promoting visitor numbers.”

He said national parks were in need of “better and stricter guidance” from central government over how they should be responding to climate change.

Comedian Alan Carr has been spotted filming in Harrogate today.

The ‘Chatty Man’ drew a crowd of onlookers at the Westmorland Sheepskins shop on Montpellier Parade.

The production team confirmed they were shooting an episode of BBC One’s Interior Design Masters.

They were unable to give an exact date on when it will be broadcast, however it is expected to be at least six months.

Comedian Alan Carr, pictured in Harrogate fighting off a wasp.

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The popular show follows 10 aspiring designers all looking for their big break in the fast-paced world of commercial interior design.

The designers take on a new interior design challenge up and down the country each week, ranging from show homes, shops and restaurants to beach huts, bars and luxury holiday villas.

They are usually given two or three premises each to either do up individually or as a team.

At the end of each challenge, the weakest designers face the judges and explain their design decisions, with at least one contestant being eliminated.

Mr Carr was also spotted in Bettys, on Parliament Street, today.

Harry Gration was loved  by many people in the Harrogate district and across Yorkshire. He touched many lives – last year he worked with us at the Stray Ferret in a competition to find Harry’s Heroes.

In the course of a few weeks he met the finalists and made podcasts with them – talking to them about what inspired them to work for others.  It was what Harry liked doing best — meeting people from all walks of life.

Tamsin O’Brien the director of the Stray Ferret worked with Harry at the BBC when he was presenting Look North.  Today she said:

“Harry was a one-off. He was fun and simply got on with everyone. A naturally gifted communicator.

“I worked with Harry in my previous career at the BBC and it was joy to work again with him last year on Harry’s Heroes. It’s hard to take in the news that he’s no longer with us.

“I speak on behalf of all of us at the Stray Ferret by sending Helen and his family all our love and thoughts at this time. There was only one Harry Gration.”

Susie Little from Covid Co-operation Harrogate, who was one of the nominated heroes, posted a picture on Facebook of herself with Harry and this message :

Susie Little with Harry last year for Harry’s Heroes

Harry Gration lived in York but was a regular visitor to the district.

He was a season ticket holder at Harrogate Town which posted this message:

Recently Harry spoke at a Harrogate Brigantes fundraising event. Today a statement was issued from the club’s Les Ellington:

“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Harry Gration MBE, who was guest speaker and auctioneer at our charity dinner only on 17 June, helping us to raise over £5000 for our Ukraine appeal.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends and former colleagues at the BBC. Rest in peace Harry and thank you from all of us.”

Do you have memories of meeting Harry Gration? Do send them to us and we will publish them in the coming few days. contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

A review into Harrogate’s controversial hosting of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships is finally set to be published – almost three years after the major cycling event was held.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission are behind the review, which will be published ahead of a meeting on July 4.

The nine-day cycling event was hailed by organisers as a “once in a lifetime moment” for Harrogate, but was also criticised by businesses and residents in the town who had complaints about disruptions during road closures.

It is also infamously remembered for leaving Harrogate’s West Park Stray severely damaged after the parkland was used as a spectator area during heavy rainfall, with repair works and upgrades later costing £130,000.

Conservative councillor Nick Brown, who has chaired the cross-party review, previously said the commission hoped to publish a final report last year, however, there have been several delays.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said:

“I can confirm that after long deliberations, covid and the recent local elections, it is planned for me to present the review on 4 July.

“The purpose of the review is to fully understand the impacts of this large-scale event for people who live and work in the area, and to also make any recommendations based on the evidence presented during the investigation.

“It should make interesting reading and perhaps will be useful for the new North Yorkshire unitary authority which will be involved in holding future events.”

Cllr Brown also said the views of residents and businesses had been “extremely useful” in shaping the review which involved a survey last year.

The review is separate to an economic impact study carried out by accountancy firm Ernst and Young at a cost of £19,000 to the council.

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This study concluded the championships resulted in an economic boost to the local economy of £17.8 million and was watched by a global television audience of 329 million.

It also said 84% of people who came to watch the event were satisfied or very satisfied with it.

However, it did not take into account a reported drop in earnings for some businesses, whose complaints rumbled on long after the event was held.

Retailers unhappy

Retail campaign group Independent Harrogate previously conducted its own survey looking into the event’s economic impact. After speaking to 22 of its members, the group claimed losses amounted to nearly £1m.

Based in Harrogate as the host town, the championships were held in the UK for the first time in nearly 40 years after a joint-bid by British Cycling, UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire and the government’s sport and culture department.

The event organisers were Yorkshire 2019 – a now-dissolved company which was set up by the government and later contributed £35,500 towards the West Park Stray repair costs.

A further £95,000 was spent on park upgrades by Harrogate Borough Council which spent a total of £606,000 on hosting the event.

The biggest single cost was £200,000 for the fan zone on West Park Stray.

Harrogate has been no stranger to big-budget film sets and A-list actors in recent months, but this weekend daytime TV staple Bargain Hunt came to town.

The show has been on air since 2000 and features two pairs of contestants who buy antiques to hopefully sell at auction for a profit.

Teams competing in the show were spotted hunting for bargains at Ripley Antiques Fair, which holds monthly events during spring and summer in the village.

Antiques expert Danny Sebastian was also seen on Montpellier Hill in Harrogate and posed for a photo.

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The much-loved Harrogate Town matchday commentator for BBC Radio York has hung up his microphone after a four-decade career with the BBC.

Barry Parker is a familiar and idiosyncratic voice to Harrogate Town fans, commentating on the club’s games since 2015.

He also featured on Town’s live matchday stream, which was a lifeline to many fans during the covid pandemic when they weren’t allowed into the grounds.

His last game was at the weekend when Harrogate Town lost 2-0 at home to Sutton United. Fans paid tribute to Mr Parker by chanting his name at half-time.

Looking back on his career, Mr Parker said:

“When I came out of college in 1979 I had no idea what I was going to do.

“I’ve had 40 wonderful years doing a job that I loved and being paid for it — I’ve been so lucky.

“If I’ve done the job well, it gets appreciated not by one or two people but by thousands, which is very heart-warming.”

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The commentator was praised by Town boss Simon Weaver, who said he has been “absolutely magnificent” for the club.

He said:

“Absolutely brilliant commentary – and sometimes totally biased in our favour! I really do appreciate him, as do all the players and the faithful who haven’t been able to travel, especially due to the pandemic. Barry has been immense for the football club. Thank you so much Barry – you are always welcome at Harrogate Town.”

BBC Radio York’s executive producer Anna Evans added:

“Barry’s career with the BBC has been immense, spanning four decades. It’s rare to find someone so passionate about sport and radio. Following his final commentary game, we received so many messages from listeners sharing memories and wishing him well. It’s been an honour to have him as part of our team. We will miss him here at BBC Radio York.”

On April 24 1982, millions of people from 30 countries had their eyes on Harrogate when the town hosted the 27th Eurovision Song Contest.

Four decades later, it seems almost unbelievable that little Harrogate got to host one of the biggest events in Europe. It turned out to be an occasion to remember.

Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam recalls in one of his books:

“The contest itself was a great publicity coup for the town, generating a tremendous atmosphere.

“Michael Hine, former Harrogate tourism promotion manager, said ‘It was the most exciting event to work on and it promoted the newly built conference centre to the world… The atmosphere in the town was truly amazing. “

How the conference centre looked on the night.

On the four previous occasions the UK had staged the event, it had been held three times in London and once in Brighton. But in 1982, Harrogate had a shiny new conference centre up its sleeve when the search was on for a venue.

Philip Broadbank, who is the only surviving Harrogate borough councillor from 1982, looks back on the manoeuvrings that led to its selection and recalls the trial night.

Then Giles Rocholl, a 19-year-old trainee press photographer at the time, gives his memories of a week like no other in Harrogate’s history.

Philip Broadbank: ‘It showed Europe there was life outside London’

“When the UK won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 it was widely known that a UK venue would be needed and I think somewhere outside London was sought – probably to show the rest of Europe that there was life in the UK outside London!

It was known that the conference centre in Harrogate would be open and available for use and that it was big enough to host the event. Harrogate wanted something big to show the conference centre off and the organisers of the event were asked to consider Harrogate to host the venue. It was accepted as the venue and it was scheduled to be the big opening event of Harrogate Conference Centre.

I don’t recall any bids being made but the event was seen as a huge publicity boost for our district. I wasn’t involved in the behind-the-scenes negotiations and it was kept confidential until it was deemed certain to go ahead.

The signs on the convention centre.

I am the only councillor left who was on Harrogate Borough Council in 1982 and none of the staff involved then are still working for it. Tony Miles was the officer in charge of the centre – he passed away some time ago. Paul Lewis was deputy director of the conference centre and I think he is now living somewhere in Wales.

My recollection is that everybody involved the construction of the conference centre was confident that it would be open for business by April 1982. They were looking for a big event that would draw attention to the building and the district and when the UK won the 1981 contest.

In those days the venue was big enough to host the Eurovision Song Contest – something that would not be possible now. In March 1982 there were a couple of events held at the centre to test out the technical, organisation and sound arrangements and there was the trial run held on the Friday night. There was quite a buzz about the place because such an event with a potential live audience of around 250 million people certainly put the district on the map.

Jan Leeming looking at the scoreboard.

There was a dress rehearsal the night before and nearly 2,000 free tickets were distributed to local people to be in the audience. My wife and I were there and it was a great night with lots of interest and excitement both for the event itself and the opening of the centre after six long years and controversial problems and issues with the construction of the building.

We picked out the song that we thought would win – A Little Peace by Nicole of West Germany, which did indeed turn out to be the winner. There was one act, from Denmark whose singer jumped around on stage and hit a giant pom-pom on his head while singing the song in Danish. He stormed off stage halfway through his song because he resented the audience laughter at his act.

Nobody could understand why until the following night, when it was televised live, Terry Wogan explained it was a song about not having the nuclear bomb dropped on his head. Obviously the Friday night audience didn’t have the benefit of subtitles to read while the artists were performing.

The Eurovision Song Contest broadcast obviously put Harrogate on the European map that night and helped to promote the centre for bookings.”

Giles Rocholl: ‘It was a week-long festival of fun’

Photographer Giles Rocholl was a 19-year-old trainee press photographer at Ackrill Newspapers Group, which was based at Herald Buildings, Montpellier. The site later became the Slug & Lettuce pub.

“In the three years I had worked, this was by far the biggest news event the town had hosted. Swarms of photographers and news crews from all over Europe descended on Harrogate. The hotels were fully booked with parties and photo opportunities throughout the week running up to the big night.

Giles Rocholl (centre) with UK Eurovision entrants Bardo. Pic courtesy of Giles Rocholl

“It felt like a festival of fun and I managed to cover several events over the week. So many languages, colourful costumes, laughing and singing — it was an exciting and vibrant time.

“I was envious of the German photographers’ top of the range camera kit and particularly their Metz Flashguns — a beast of light production. I got one a few years later for myself.

“On the big night I remember having a brief chat with the late, great Terry Wogan and snapping a photo of my editor’s wife Rosie with him before the contest. Jan Leeming looked stunning and even more charming than she appeared on TV.

Giles Rocholl’s picture of West German winner Nicole. Pic courtesy of Giles Rocholl

“During the show the press had our own hall to view the events going on above us on stage at the conference centre and when the winner Nicole was announced the German photographers all leapt up and were overjoyed.

“We photographers were all escorted up to the stage by security and Nicole and her band were lined up ready for us. As we all filed in, I felt I could not get a good photo because I was squeezed out by the mass of photographers so I very naughtily broke ranks and went around the back of the performers as I saw they were turning around to wave and thank the audience.

“I managed to get the shot I wanted of Nicole and felt that having all the photographers in the background added to the focus on her. Happy days!”

On April 24 1982, some 300 million people from 30 countries watched the Eurovision Song Contest in Harrogate.

It remains perhaps the biggest occasion in the town’s history but strangely, you’ll struggle to find any evidence today that it ever took place.

There’s no plaque, no museum exhibition, no statue. Visitors think you’re winding them up when you point to Harrogate Convention Centre and say it hosted the event associated with Abba, Lulu, Terry Wogan and the dreaded ‘nul points’.

But it happened and as the 40th anniversary looms, we have compiled a two-part feature based on the memories of three people who were closely involved on the day, starting today with BBC presenter Jan Leeming.

At Eurovision, whichever country wins gets to host the event the following year so Bucks Fizz’s dress-tearing routine in 1981 triggered a search to find a venue. It would be the fifth time the UK had hosted the event. Three of the previous occasions were in London and one — famously in 1974 when Abba won — in Brighton. Since 1982, the UK has only won Eurovision in 1997.

The opening sequence of the BBC coverage answered the question ‘Where is Harrogate?’.

Tomorrow’s article will look in more detail about why Harrogate was chosen.

But the decision to select a small, relatively unknown town prompted the BBC to begin its more than two-hour live broadcast, which can be viewed here, with a five-minute sequence enlightening viewers to the joys of places like the Stray and the Drum and Monkey.

The phrase ‘Where is Harrogate?’ was emblazoned across the screen in each of the languages of the countries taking part and was followed by a montage of scenes depicting Harrogate as some kind of middle England utopia full of beautiful people, elegant shops and idyllic countryside.

The sequence ended with smiling couples stepping out of limousines at the convention centre on the night of the big event to see if the British pop duo Bardo could win. They couldn’t, eventually fading to seventh behind Nicole, whose song A Little Peace became West Germany’s first ever success. Here are the memories from the woman who held the night together.

Jan Leeming: ‘I was thrilled, flattered — and very worried!’

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Jan Leeming recalls:

“My agent rang up and said ‘the BBC would like you to present Eurovision’. I was thrilled, flattered and very worried because Katie Boyle had presented it previously and she was fluent in French. Back then the presenter had to speak in English and French. I am an actress and, apparently, I have a good French accent but I am not fluent.

I was told I’d got the job just as my husband and I were going on holiday to Hong Kong so I took the script in my suitcase and learned it while we were away because the camera at the event would be too far away to read the autocue.

Sitting on an accordion outside the convention centre. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

I think I arrived in Harrogate a day, maybe two, in advance. There was only one proper rehearsal so we didn’t have much time. When I wasn’t working I was mainly ensconced in a hotel — I can’t remember which one — but I did get a flavour of Harrogate because they took all the contestants around town to do some filming. My best and oldest friend lives in Leeds and I have been to Harrogate with her several times since. It’s a really beautiful town.

Eurovision was the kind of thing the BBC did very well in those days. It was a huge production, with Michael Hurll as overall director. There were 18 countries taking part and 30 countries watching. Every country took their feed from the BBC and had people working on booths at the convention centre. Terry Wogan was working in one of the booths but our paths didn’t cross.

Jan in the dress she didn’t choose to wear. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

All 18 countries’ songs were accompanied by the BBC Radio Orchestra. The orchestra was led by Ronnie Hazlehurst but each country brought out their own conductor for their performance.

It was the only time the BBC ever paid for my wardrobe. I had to pay for the clothes I wore when I was reading the news and when I was representing the BBC at evening events. One of my favourite designers was Gina Fratini and I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to wear one of her dresses but the BBC said it would have been too much like an advert for her and I could have a dress made in-house instead. It was a very nice dress but not one I would have chosen, so it was a bit of a sore point. I wouldn’t have minded if the BBC had always paid for my clothes!

Looking up at the scoreboard.

I was paid £1,000 to present Eurovision. My salary when I went from radio to TV was £10,500 and then it gradually increased over several years. In 1982 I was earning about £13,000. So to be paid about £1,000 to present Eurovision was fantastic. In those days men were paid far more than women and we had to put up with it. As one person told me when I remonstrated — “if you don’t like it, Miss Leeming, there’s the door”.

My nerves were awful when I walked out at the start of the show. I do remember writing in my diary that I would have given anything for a train ticket home. Most actors and presenters tell you nerves never leave you and frankly, they’re what enhance your performance.

It turned out to be a wonderful occasion. I don’t remember much about the show but I remember the party afterwards because the Spanish guitarist asked me to dance. He tossed me around the floor and then wrote on my invitation to the party ‘mi casa, su casa’ (my house is your house) — and I never saw him again! I kept that invitation until a few years ago.

The cake sent by Silvio’s. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

There was a business in Harrogate called Silvio’s and it sent me the most beautiful cake, which obviously was shared out amongst the crew. But I didn’t stay long afterwards. I had a husband and a son to get home to.

The UK didn’t host Eurovision again for years because we didn’t win it again until 1997 and the winners got to host it the following year. Then in 2003 we got ‘nul points’.

I wouldn’t have chosen the winning song. I was very surprised that it won. It was called A Little Peace and it was sung by a German girl called Nicole who went on to have a long career, in fact I think she’s still going. But there was more variety and individuality to the songs then. They all seem to be written to the same format now. Everybody copies everyone else. But perhaps I’m only saying that because I’m an old lady now!

Wearing her Eurovision dress shortly before it was auctioned. Pic courtesy of Jan Leeming

The BBC gave me the Eurovision dress and I kept it for years, waiting to find it an appropriate home. Eventually I gave it to Celebrity Cash in the Attic to be sold by auction in 2014 because I wanted to promote the male testicular cancer charity Orchid. It was auctioned in Chiswick and went for £250.

Prior to 1982 the UK had won Eurovision five times. Since 1982 we have only won it once. Terry Wogan sort of made fun of it and I don’t think the English take it seriously enough. Sweden apparently runs six weeks of heats. Terry called it the Euro Yawn or the Euro Bore but back then it was watched by over 300m people. I looked up what it gets these days and now with all the hype it only gets 100m.

Mind you there wasn’t that much telly around back then. Now you have 360 channels and nothing to watch. Everything was a bit different in the 1980s. It was before the cult of celebrity and social media. I don’t seem to recall it having all the razzmatazz of Eurovisions today.

Eurovision wasn’t quite the pinnacle of my career: the pinnacle was a documentary I made after five years of research into a free French pilot called Rene Mouchotte whose name is on the Battle of Britain memorial. You can watch it here. That was the biggest achievement of my career. But Eurovision was very near the pinnacle. It was an absolute honour and privilege to present it.

Jan Leeming’s new podcast Addicted to Love is now available on Spotify, iTunes etc. Further information is available here or on Twitter @Jan_Leeming.

A Harrogate mum has spoken of her excitement at being chosen to appear as a contestant on MasterChef.

HR Project Manager Olayemi ‘Yemi’ Adelekan, 51, will show off her culinary skills on the popular BBC cooking show tonight at 8pm.

The married mum who has two children says she “loves cooking”. She grew up in Nigeria and has lived in Harrogate for the past nine years.

She told her Facebook followers:

“This is such an incredible and amazing opportunity for me and I’m so excited to go on this journey.

“Let’s just have some fun with food.”

Yemi, who is also a blogger, motivational speaker and author, will champion traditional Nigerian cuisine in the competition. However, her journey from Nigeria to the West Indies in 1995, then to the UK in 1997, has also had a major influence on her cooking style.

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Speaking about why she applied to go on MasterChef, she said:

“My boys are now grown up and moved out, so it’s time for new challenges in my life. MasterChef is one of them.”

Tonight’s episode on BBC One kicks off the third week of MasterChef and it is coming up to the halfway point of the heats.

This year the judges are mixing it up. They are introducing a whole new set of challenges that the passionate amateurs must complete to progress in the competition.