Fountain Studios To Close

I don't think many expect X Factor to continue beyond this year but in theory they could use the other George Lucas stage at Elstree.

BGT could be more interesting with it only set up for a week or so meaning they could go to a bigger non-studio venue like I think Got to Dance did.

BGT could go to a theatre very easily and, to be honest, so could X Factor. The latter could potentially tour the UK.

Just a note to say this is one of the best threads I've read in a while.

Back on topic, I'm amazed at how much Pinewood has grown in recent years, the classic "big" stages, 007, George Lucas are now being dwarfed by the size of the complex almost doubling in size by the new construction on the fields opposite the original site.

The BBC and ITV may have decided studios aren't viable but clearly Pinewoods investors disagree.

Film production and international drama is thriving though, unlike light entertainmemt.

TV Centre 'closed' did it mean the end to Strictly?
Granada Studios closed did it mean the end to Coronation Street?

No, they both moved somewhere else.

Has there ever been a show that has ended because the studios have closed, and not the other way round?

I know The Chase and Pointless were at one point last year block recording episodes at Elstree Film & TV Studios in stages 6 and 8 next door to each other at the same time.

But to have both Saturday evening shiny floor shows for BBC One and ITV slugging it out in the same studio at the same time, only separated by a dividing wall - would be great fun (and a nightmare for the audience teams keeping 800 odd people apart and get them in the right part of the GL stage)

TFI Friday came back even though Riverside is now rubble. A studio doesn't make a programme - people do.

It's worth pointing out that 73% of Pinewood is owned by MediaCityUK's owners Peel.

The Pinewood Studios Group as a whole only makes a couple of million profit a year, which highlights how tight the margins are in studio hire, and how vulnerable the premises are to be sold off for housing.

Precisely. There isn't that much money to be made in studios at the moment...

Out of interest, does anyone know an average price for hiring a studio?

Apologies for being a little vague.

Crossroads' failure, particularly the awful Yvon Grace reboot, is often cited as the reason for Lenton Lane's closure. That said, a lot of stuff made at Nottingham got the chop around that time.

Nottingham got brunt of productions for Carlton's digital channels by the end of the 1990's, all of which had closed within a few years. Crossroads was do or die for Nottingham, sadly it was the latter.