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BBC Television Centre: Difference between revisions
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-{{update}}. article didn't actually suggest that the building stood vacant; only that it closed, which is an accurate description. article amended to better clarify that point.
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(-{{update}}. article didn't actually suggest that the building stood vacant; only that it closed, which is an accurate description. article amended to better clarify that point.) |
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[[File:DTTVC.jpg|thumb|[[David Tennant]] outside TVC in 2007.]] | [[File:DTTVC.jpg|thumb|[[David Tennant]] outside TVC in 2007.]] | ||
'''BBC Television Centre''' was a television production facility in Shepherd's Bush in the [[London]] borough of [[Hammersmith]] and Fulham. It was located within walking distance of the former site of [[Lime Grove Studios]] and close to [[Riverside Studios]]. It is one of the oldest buildings in the world specially built for television production, officially opened on 29 June 1960. It closed on 31 March 2013, more than 50 years after its opening. | '''BBC Television Centre''' was a television production facility in Shepherd's Bush in the [[London]] borough of [[Hammersmith]] and Fulham. It was located within walking distance of the former site of [[Lime Grove Studios]] and close to [[Riverside Studios]]. It is one of the oldest buildings in the world specially built for television production, officially opened on 29 June 1960. It closed as a BBC facility on 31 March 2013, more than 50 years after its opening.<ref name=closure>[http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/bbc-television-centre-closes-its-doors-for-the-last-time-8555435.html "BBC Television Centre closes its doors for the last time" ''London Evening Standard''. 31 March 2013.]</ref> | ||
Although most intimately connected to the colour era of the original series of ''Doctor Who'', it has been used to record at least parts of stories of each of the first nine Doctors, except the [[Eighth Doctor|Eighth]], and has been the subject of [[Do You Remember the First Time? (CON episode)|an episode]] of ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'' directed and hosted by [[David Tennant]]. | Although most intimately connected to the colour era of the original series of ''Doctor Who'', it has been used to record at least parts of stories of each of the first nine Doctors, except the [[Eighth Doctor|Eighth]], and has been the subject of [[Do You Remember the First Time? (CON episode)|an episode]] of ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'' directed and hosted by [[David Tennant]]. | ||
== Site | == Site history == | ||
[[File:TVCFountain.jpg|thumb|TVC's famous central fountain]] | [[File:TVCFountain.jpg|thumb|TVC's famous central fountain]] | ||
[[File:TennantMoffatTC8.jpg|thumb|[[Steven Moffat|Moffat]] and Tennant in TC8]] | [[File:TennantMoffatTC8.jpg|thumb|[[Steven Moffat|Moffat]] and Tennant in TC8]] | ||
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Building commenced on Television Centre almost at the dawn of the television age in Britain. Groundbreaking was in 1951, and the building was officially opened in 1960. At the time it was possessed of a highly innovative design that allowed all its studios to be essentially interchangeable. Even the exterior was remarkable, as it deliberately formed the shape of a question mark.<ref>The "question mark" design is readily apparent in this satellite imagery: <center><googlemap lat=51.5104 lon=-0.2262 type=hybrid zoom=17 width= height=400 controls=none selector=no scale=yes></googlemap></center></ref> Numerous upgrades to the site allowed it to maintain its utility as a producer of drama into the 1990s. However, as the whole basis of the design had assumed multi-camera, video recording, TV Centre suddenly became useless when most dramas switched to single camera set-ups. The BBC Wales version of ''Doctor Who'', for instance, simply could not be filmed at Television Centre due to this inherent design element. In the mid-1990s, it switched its focus from drama to news and other forms of non-fictional entertainment that still use multiple cameras. However, a 2007 assessment determined that, even with the change of emphasis, the facilities were still under-used. As a result, a decision was taken to sell off the property in an effort to make better use of the BBC's assets. | Building commenced on Television Centre almost at the dawn of the television age in Britain. Groundbreaking was in 1951, and the building was officially opened in 1960. At the time it was possessed of a highly innovative design that allowed all its studios to be essentially interchangeable. Even the exterior was remarkable, as it deliberately formed the shape of a question mark.<ref>The "question mark" design is readily apparent in this satellite imagery: <center><googlemap lat=51.5104 lon=-0.2262 type=hybrid zoom=17 width= height=400 controls=none selector=no scale=yes></googlemap></center></ref> Numerous upgrades to the site allowed it to maintain its utility as a producer of drama into the 1990s. However, as the whole basis of the design had assumed multi-camera, video recording, TV Centre suddenly became useless when most dramas switched to single camera set-ups. The BBC Wales version of ''Doctor Who'', for instance, simply could not be filmed at Television Centre due to this inherent design element. In the mid-1990s, it switched its focus from drama to news and other forms of non-fictional entertainment that still use multiple cameras. However, a 2007 assessment determined that, even with the change of emphasis, the facilities were still under-used. As a result, a decision was taken to sell off the property in an effort to make better use of the BBC's assets. | ||
On 16 July 2012, it was announced that Centre was sold to Stanhope plc for around 200 million pounds.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ariel/18783351|Television Centre to be sold for around £200m]</ref> The building was closed officially on 31 March 2013. | On 16 July 2012, it was announced that Centre was sold to Stanhope plc for around 200 million pounds.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ariel/18783351|Television Centre to be sold for around £200m]</ref> The building was closed officially on 31 March 2013. As a {{w|Grade II listed building}}, it was not demolished thereafter, but instead extensively refurbished by its new owners. Space was then rented to several parties, including the BBC. Various parts of the BBC returned to the site over the next few years, as the new owners completed their remodelling. The BBC thus maintained a presence on the site — as a lessee.<ref name=closure/> | ||
== Alternate name == | == Alternate name == | ||
