Documentary which recalls the heyday of one of Britain's most iconic buildings, BBC Television Centre, through the memories of stars and staff. A rich variety of archive includes moments from studio recordings of classic programmes and vintage behind-the-scenes footage from the home of many of the most celebrated programmes in British TV history.
BBC Four programme page includes three clips from the programme:
I know it'll be fascinating to us lot, but I've wondered why BBC people think the general public will be as fascinated with the building they work in as we are.
The BBC has always been a bit smugly "ooh we're in television centre". Round and round the corridors indeed!
I know it'll be fascinating to us lot, but I've wondered why BBC people think the general public will be as fascinated with the building they work in as we are.
The BBC has always been a bit smugly "ooh we're in television centre". Round and round the corridors indeed!
The building has significance, despite your opinions of the importance of the BBC
Haha - in my view the BBC is the most important broadcaster, if not the most important cultural institution, in this country. I consume hours and hours of BBC every day. No-one matches them for breadth, quality, reach, etc. I am an immense BBC fan.
And yes of course the building is important. I just find the navel-gazing, and the fetishization of certain parts of it a bit annoying sometimes. And having famous faces wittering on about getting lost in the corridors is a case in point. Who hasn't got lost in a large building before?
Recalls those 90s Saturday studio shows where they couldn't go twenty minutes without sending someone on a sprint round the corridors for no reason in particular.
BBC canteen, Leyland time, jumpers for goalposts... I dunno. Seems like empty nostalgia to which most of us weren't party. Tell us about the building if it tells us something about programme making. But every building has corridors and evidently neither the careers of Greg Dyke nor David Attenborough nor Terry Wogan suffered for getting lost on the corridors.
... I just find the navel-gazing, and the fetishization of certain parts of it a bit annoying sometimes. And having famous faces wittering on about getting lost in the corridors is a case in point. Who hasn't got lost in a large building before?
Recalls those 90s Saturday studio shows where they couldn't go twenty minutes without sending someone on a sprint round the corridors for no reason in particular.
BBC canteen, Leyland time, jumpers for goalposts... I dunno. Seems like empty nostalgia to which most of us weren't party. Tell us about the building if it tells us something about programme making. But every building has corridors and evidently neither the careers of Greg Dyke nor David Attenborough nor Terry Wogan suffered for getting lost on the corridors.
There is over 50 years of history in those corridors. The Beatles, 50 years of British television stars, other Top of the Pops guests etc...
Also you have to remember it is a single programme on BBC Four. Not a PrimeTime 16 part epic documentary on BBC One!
I am wondering if we are going to get any programmes about the move to Broadcasting house, and it's history.
The documentary has been directed and produced by former Blue Peter editor Richard Marson who himself is a classic TV enthusiast, so should be produced to a high standard by a person who has a passion for the subject. There are two versions of the programme - pre and post watershed with some different content.
To compliment the documentary, there’s also a classic Blue Peter from 4th November 1974 at 20:00 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hz6n0 which has a behind the scenes item on TVC and TC1.
Haha - in my view the BBC is the most important broadcaster, if not the most important cultural institution, in this country. I consume hours and hours of BBC every day. No-one matches them for breadth, quality, reach, etc. I am an immense BBC fan.
And yes of course the building is important. I just find the navel-gazing, and the fetishization of certain parts of it a bit annoying sometimes. And having famous faces wittering on about getting lost in the corridors is a case in point. Who hasn't got lost in a large building before?
Recalls those 90s Saturday studio shows where they couldn't go twenty minutes without sending someone on a sprint round the corridors for no reason in particular.
BBC canteen, Leyland time, jumpers for goalposts... I dunno. Seems like empty nostalgia to which most of us weren't party. Tell us about the building if it tells us something about programme making. But every building has corridors and evidently neither the careers of Greg Dyke nor David Attenborough nor Terry Wogan suffered for getting lost on the corridors.
Well said. Completely agree.
Last edited by Justice Once on 16 May 2012 9:52am - 5 times in total
I think britbat has a good point here. I'm all for nostalgia and I think it's important to mark the history of TV Centre, the landmark events that have happened in its studios and the many famous people that have been/performed there. However, I think recalling anecdotes about working in the building itself is only really going to appeal to current and former BBC employees who can actually relate to such stories. To the vast majority of people, it doesn't mean anything.
I think britbat has a good point here. I'm all for nostalgia and I think it's important to mark the history of TV Centre, the landmark events that have happened in its studios and the many famous people that have been/performed there. However, I think recalling anecdotes about working in the building itself is only really going to appeal to current and former BBC employees who can actually relate to such stories. To the vast majority of people, it doesn't mean anything.
But it's about the ins-and-outs of working in a building which produced output that everybody
did
play a part in. To me, it's just the same as watching a documentary about behind the scenes of anything. Remember that programme about John Lewis not that long ago? By your argument that documentary should only appeal to those who work in John Lewis.
And as somebody else said, it's not a prime time 16-episode series at 9pm Fridays on BBC One.
I think britbat has a good point here. I'm all for nostalgia and I think it's important to mark the history of TV Centre, the landmark events that have happened in its studios and the many famous people that have been/performed there. However, I think recalling anecdotes about working in the building itself is only really going to appeal to current and former BBC employees who can actually relate to such stories. To the vast majority of people, it doesn't mean anything.
But it's about the ins-and-outs of working in a building which produced output that everybody
did
play a part in. To me, it's just the same as watching a documentary about behind the scenes of anything. Remember that programme about John Lewis not that long ago? By your argument that documentary should only appeal to those who work in John Lewis.
And as somebody else said, it's not a prime time 16-episode series at 9pm Fridays on BBC One.
No, I wouldn't agree with that. The John Lewis documentary was relevant to a lot of people because everyone can go into and shop in John Lewis. I watched a documentary I recorded recently about behind the scenes at Chatsworth House - that was relevant and interesting because I've visited Chatsworth and can relate to what they're talking about. The vast majority of people in the UK will have never visted TVC and to them, anecdotes about the physical building will be irrelevant. They've watched the BBC's output over the years, hence my comment about marking the events and shows that have taken place within TVC. But I don't think many people - aside from us anoraks - will be interested in the building itself.
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