Last summer, the BBC announced that they were going to put their Television Centre studios on the selling block.
For 53 years, Television Centre was Britain's answer to CBS Television City here in the States, where iconic shows like Doctor Who, Monty Python, Are You Being Served?, Strictly Come Dancing (or as it's called elsewhere, Dancing With The Stars), Top Of the Pops, and countless others were produced. Since 1969, it also served as the home to BBC News and last week, they did their final newscasts there as their operations have already moved to Broadcasting House. And this year's Comic Relief -- no relation to the annual HBO specials in the '80s and '90s -- was the last ever live broadcast from Television Centre.
The building will be redeveloped to include office space, luxury apartments, hotels, and a movie theater though the studios will be refurbished and leased to other production companies including the BBC. By the way, they did a great documentary on Television Centre's legacy ("Tales of Television Centre") which is on YouTube.
Television Centre opened in 1960 and had more stages than Television City (opened in 1952); but with its eight stages, more shows -- have been done at TV City than in TV Centre...except that it doesn't have a bar or cafeteria like other studios and there's no problem finding your way around.
But alas...all good things must come to an end.
For 53 years, Television Centre was Britain's answer to CBS Television City here in the States, where iconic shows like Doctor Who, Monty Python, Are You Being Served?, Strictly Come Dancing (or as it's called elsewhere, Dancing With The Stars), Top Of the Pops, and countless others were produced. Since 1969, it also served as the home to BBC News and last week, they did their final newscasts there as their operations have already moved to Broadcasting House. And this year's Comic Relief -- no relation to the annual HBO specials in the '80s and '90s -- was the last ever live broadcast from Television Centre.
The building will be redeveloped to include office space, luxury apartments, hotels, and a movie theater though the studios will be refurbished and leased to other production companies including the BBC. By the way, they did a great documentary on Television Centre's legacy ("Tales of Television Centre") which is on YouTube.
Television Centre opened in 1960 and had more stages than Television City (opened in 1952); but with its eight stages, more shows -- have been done at TV City than in TV Centre...except that it doesn't have a bar or cafeteria like other studios and there's no problem finding your way around.
But alas...all good things must come to an end.