Showing posts with label BBC Television Centre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC Television Centre. Show all posts

Monday, 18 March 2013

Moving weekend for the Beeb

The Beeb, the nickname for the British Broadcasting Centre, or more commonly the BBC, has had a historic weekend.  BBC Television Centre in west London closed its doors yesterday evening after 53 years.   Mishal Husain presented the last news programme from studio N6 at 22:00 GMT, signing off nearly 45 years of bulletins.

The familiar and recognisable circular Television Centre, which has been sold for redevelopment for £200m last year, opened in 1960 and the news first went out from the site nine years later.  From Monday the entire BBC news operation will be based at Broadcasting House in central London.  Television Centre will be redeveloped into hotels, flats, a cinema and office space.  Goodbye Television Centre, fond regards!

BBC Television Centre Facts

* BBC Television Centre officially opened in 1960, some 11 years after the project was announced by then-controller Norman Collins.

* Shows recorded there include Blue Peter, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Generation Game, Top of the Pops, early series of Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing.

* It is the UK’s second-oldest operating television studio, after Granada Studios.

* There were 15 main studios and a further 10 used for news bulletins.

* Television Centre has been hit by a number of power cuts including, unfortunately, one that caused the launch night of BBC2 to be cancelled in 1964.



Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21818963