ANOTHER much welcome trip down TV memory lane brings us a real variety of programmes filmed in the area.

First we have a rather poignant photo of presenter Jill Dando smiling away in 1997 when she visited the Blue Pool near Furzebrook in 1997 to film for the BBC's popular Holiday programme. At its peak the show attracted seven million viewers.

The show was filming at the attraction as part of a special feature on Swanage and Purbeck. Other locations visited by the programme included the Swanage Steam Railway, Corfe Castle, Studland Beach and Durdle Door.

Tragically, just two years later in 1999, aged 37, Jill was murdered outside her flat in Fulham.

Some other programmes filmed in the area would have been viewed by much smaller audiences. We have a picture of the Old Assize Court in Dorchester, filmed in 1997 for an hour-long video feature by students from Bryanston School in Blandford, with the help of local dramatic society actors. Bloody Shard Gate was inspired by an old legend about a fight between a poacher and a Dorset farmer in 1791.

We also have a picture of filming for WCTV What's On West, showing people getting into the wartime spirit, a couple of pictures of Songs of Praise filming in Abbotsbury, Weymouth College students filming outside Weymouth Job Centre and filming of the popular programme Highway in Fordington, Dorchester, which some of you might remember was presented by the late Sir Harry Seccombe. The programme was a mixture of hymns and chats from various locations across the UK.