Carole Hersee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carole Hersee
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Carole Hersee pictured in Test Card F c. 1967
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| Born | 25 November 1958 Redhill, Surrey, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Costume designer |
| Known for | Appearing on Test Card F from 1967–1998 |
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Carole Hersee (born 25 November 1958) is a British costume designer. She is famous for appearing on the Test Card F for BBC Television. This test card was shown on TV from 1967 to 1998. Because of this, she became the most seen face in British television history.
Contents
What is Test Card F?
How Test Card F Was Made
The Test Card F was created in 1967 by Carole's father, George Hersee. He was an engineer for the BBC. He took photos of Carole and her younger sister, Gillian. Carole thinks she was chosen because Gillian had lost two front teeth.
However, her father later said that the committee chose Carole because she had lighter hair. Someone noticed Carole looked left-handed in the photo. To make it seem like she was holding the chalk with her right hand, they flipped the picture.
The Famous Picture
In the picture, Carole was holding a Noughts and Crosses board. The "X" in the middle of the board was exactly in the center of the TV screen. She also had her own clown doll named Bubbles with her. She was paid £100 for the photo shoot. This picture was used on TV in the UK and other places for over 40 years. It was usually shown when there were no TV shows on air.
Carole's Fame from the Test Card
Because the test card was shown so much, Carole received fan mail as a teenager. Media companies often asked her for interviews. But she quickly got tired of all the attention.
Some people say Carole is in the Guinness World Records. This is for having the longest television appearance in history. It's estimated to be about 70,000 hours, which is almost eight continuous years. However, Carole has said this is not true. She explained that it cannot be a record because it's not something someone else can achieve. Carole still owns the Bubbles doll from the photo. She keeps it safe in a box.
Test Card Girl in "Life on Mars"
On the TV show Life on Mars (2006–2007), Carole Hersee was shown as a fictional character. She was called the Test Card Girl. She appeared to the main character, Sam Tyler, in short visions. She would sometimes tease or scare him. She is the last character seen in the series. She pretends to turn off a switch, and the TV screen disappears.
Carole's Career
Carole Hersee went to Heath End School in Farnham. As an adult, she became a seamstress. She worked for a company that made costumes for plays and movies. She has designed costumes for many West End theatre shows. She also designed costumes for films like The Last Emperor, Flash Gordon, and Dangerous Liaisons.
See also
- Lenna
