BBC Tour

We went to that too. They had the news channel on the screen and I watching in joy as the sport presenter finished on screen, left the studio and got into the lifts right in front of us!

We saw Huw Edwards.

It's not as empty as I'd first thought - while there doesn't appear to be anything being recorded over the weekend, there will be a couple of sets standing, including 8 Out of 10 Cats .

For anyone who has been on either the MediaCityUK tour or BBC Broadcasting House, what do you typically see?

I did the tour in 2010 and the only set that was up was the Alan Titchmarsh set. They showed us the newsroom as well which also has a "webcam" view of the news channel studio on one screen. Didn't see any celebs though. They also took us to Studio one which was had some planned maintenance going on.

I did the tour today. I actually probably saw more than I did last time because they've tried to make up for the fact that not as much is being made any more. For example the last Blue Peter set in London was still there (though I'm pretty sure we were in a storage area rather than a studio and the last MOTD was also left in Studio 5. The studio lights have been removed and that's all that will be in that studio till the tour ends in 2013. We also saw the 8 Out of 10 Cats studio from a viewing gallery.

interesting that the sport set is still standing in TC5, I understand the gallery has been stripped of equipment

[quote="Steve in Pudsey" pid="755653"]interesting that the sport set is still standing in TC5, I understand the gallery has been stripped of equipment[/quoteT]
I could see a few people up there doing something so they might still be stripping it.

Cheers for taking the time to look.

Well, the new series of Red Or Black (the pre-recorded years) will be recorded at Elstree Film and Television Studios. Part of The Voice has been recorded at TC1 - the turnaround chair auditions were done there in January.

Not sure why the whole series hasn't come from there. It is a double indie production, rather than a flat BBC Ents show, so that may be part of it. Maybe Elstree F&TV gave them a more agressive studio cost rate for the permanent set to be standing for 8 odd weeks.
However, that could have been offset by using TC1 with it's 'on tap' studio facilities, rather than having to drive a HD OB truck up Elstree High Street, park it outside the George Lucas Stage each Friday afternoon and have it fired it up all over the weekend.

Went in February on the Broadcasting House Tour

The reception area
BBC Radio Theatre
Radio 3 Production offices
Take part in a specially staged radio play
Portland ? Assembly room
Sit in Radio 4's studio that's used for Womans' Hour and You and Yours
Stand on the roof, and look down the road towards Oxford Circus

We weren't shown any of the extension, and its TV studios, other than what could be seen from the roof of the existing building. Didn't see anything technical, (other than a couple of desk cue lamps, mics, and headphones) on the radio side either.

Thanks for this. I really should have thought through some more shouldn't I! It makes sense now. Roger Morris at Elstree seems to be doing well for them, so was probably more them approaching The Voice rather than the other way round. Very interesting about Red & Black! How did you find that out? Of course a Syco co production - there were always rumours about X Factor going to Elstree in its early days; will it finally happen, or would it be deemed as 'copying' The Voice?

Btw, I do actually like Elstree. When compared to TVC, anyway. I know TVC is iconic but it really does feel like an old school to me.