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Fountain studios closing.


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Old 02-12-2016, 19:34
leslie123
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I was watching ITV News London this evening when they announced this weekend's X-Factor semi final would be the very last programme to be broadcast from the Fountain studios out at Wembley, as the studios will be closing for good and will be demolished to make way for a new housing development. Sad really to see another London based studio close. Of course Fountain studios has plenty of history and many fine programmes were made there. It was a former home to Associated Rediffusion and following that temporary home to London Weekend Television prior to moving to the South Bank in 1972.Such programmes as On the Buses, Please Sir, Manhunt and Upstairs Downstairs were originally made there. It also stated on the item that from next year The X-Factor will be moving to new facilities in Acton, West London although I am not sure what tv studio facilities actually exist there.
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Old 02-12-2016, 19:46
ftv
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Fountains is indeed closing but don't forget three refurbished studios at TV Centre are re-opening next year, TC1,2 and 3.
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Old 02-12-2016, 21:08
RobertSterling
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The London episodes of Friends used Fountain Studios if I remember correctly...
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Old 02-12-2016, 22:43
derek500
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It also stated on the item that from next year The X-Factor will be moving to new facilities in Acton, West London although I am not sure what tv studio facilities actually exist there.
XFactor and BGT are coming from LH2 next year.

http://www.lh2studios.co.uk/
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Old 03-12-2016, 00:15
uno
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I wondered what they were going to do next year I presume that they will all be done as an outside broadcast as no gallery or equipment there to use.

Going to be more costly if it's got to be rigged each week unless they will allow them to leave it all in and just drive the trucks in for the weekend.

I suspect that CTV or NEP will get the OB contract for this
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Old 03-12-2016, 00:51
Johnr
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I see they got sold for £16 million, which surprises me that they weren't just bought by ITV / Simon Cowell (Well not Simon personally but you know what I mean ) with them having filmed The X Factor and Got Talent there among other quite popular shows over the years

I actually visited the studios myself once to go and watch an episode of The Cube being filmed, Wembley seemed quite a good spot to have a TV studio in terms of getting audience members but I suppose most of London is well connected enough by the Underground these days, I've also been to see Million Pound Drop Live at 3 Mill studios and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire at Elstree (think they film Big Brother there too?)

Although as a northerner I should really visit some shows filming at MediaCityUK in Salford more often
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Old 03-12-2016, 06:16
ftv
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It wasn't long ago that broadcasters were complaining about a shortage of studios in London but there seem to be plenty available, not to mention Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow.
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Old 03-12-2016, 07:38
Brett
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I remember staying at Wembley for the NFL and walking past a big queue of people at this old building that looked more like a run down factory or call centre.

Was shocked it was people queueing in to go and see xfactor
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Old 03-12-2016, 08:45
ftv
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The first programme ITV broadcast from what were then known as the Wembley studios was Small Talk at 1200 on September 23, 1955, the day after ITV opened in London.Apparently there were technical problems and the picture quality was very poor although it was soon corrected.
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:27
Ads
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XFactor and BGT are coming from LH2 next year.

http://www.lh2studios.co.uk/
How does the studio space compare in size to Fountain Studios?
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:35
ftv
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How does the studio space compare in size to Fountain Studios?
Wembley studio 5 is about 13,400 square feet achieved by joining two studios together
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:39
mightymillie
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I wondered what they were going to do next year I presume that they will all be done as an outside broadcast as no gallery or equipment there to use.

Going to be more costly if it's got to be rigged each week unless they will allow them to leave it all in and just drive the trucks in for the weekend.

I suspect that CTV or NEP will get the OB contract for this
I suspect that if it's going to be used regularly for TV, then someone will put in some permanent facilities (Gearhouse or Timeline most likely).
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Old 03-12-2016, 09:42
mightymillie
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I see they got sold for £16 million, which surprises me that they weren't just bought by ITV / Simon Cowell (Well not Simon personally but you know what I mean )
Yes, then ITV could have made a fortune by knocking it down and turning it into luxury flats.

...not really ITV's core business area though.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:18
derek500
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I see they got sold for £16 million, which surprises me that they weren't just bought by ITV / Simon Cowell (Well not Simon personally but you know what I mean ) with them having filmed The X Factor and Got Talent there among other quite popular shows over the years

I actually visited the studios myself once to go and watch an episode of The Cube being filmed,
I first went there in the mid sixties to see 5 O'Clock Club (Muriel Young and Wally Whyton) The first went out live on the Monday, then they recorded the midweek edition.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:35
ftv
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So what are the oldest TV studios in the UK still in use - I'm guessing Elstree which was first used by ATV in 1961 and then passed to the BBC and has gone through various stages of refurbishment.
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Old 03-12-2016, 11:03
Mark C
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So what are the oldest TV studios in the UK still in use - I'm guessing Elstree which was first used by ATV in 1961 and then passed to the BBC and has gone through various stages of refurbishment.
BBC Plymouth have been running TV from their present Seymour Road site since April 1961, whether or not that counts I don't know, I'm not sure what they used as studio space in the 60s ?
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Old 03-12-2016, 12:17
ftv
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BBC Plymouth have been running TV from their present Seymour Road site since April 1961, whether or not that counts I don't know, I'm not sure what they used as studio space in the 60s ?
I take your point - I was actually thinking of the larger production studios. BBC Plymouth was re-equipped for HD this year by the way.
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Old 03-12-2016, 13:02
Mark C
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I take your point - I was actually thinking of the larger production studios. BBC Plymouth was re-equipped for HD this year by the way.
Time flies, the refit was completed 18 months ago actually
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Old 03-12-2016, 13:55
red16v
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Would Anglia's 'Agricultural Hall' studios count? - 1959 I believe.
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Old 03-12-2016, 15:17
Mark C
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Would Anglia's 'Agricultural Hall' studios count? - 1959 I believe.
Anglia moved from that city centre site some years ago I think?
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Old 03-12-2016, 15:40
ftv
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I believe Anglia News is still produced from a small studio at Anglia House but that's all they do these days.I had forgotten UTV who still have studios at Havelock House in Belfast and have since 1959 although I gather they have plans to move out.
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Old 03-12-2016, 17:45
emails
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Fountains is indeed closing but don't forget three refurbished studios at TV Centre are re-opening next year, TC1,2 and 3.
is that fact? will there be any speacial broadcast for this?
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Old 03-12-2016, 17:47
emails
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XFactor and BGT are coming from LH2 next year.

http://www.lh2studios.co.uk/
i thought the x factor was taking a year out ? or have i got the wrong information?
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Old 03-12-2016, 18:48
red16v
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Anglia moved from that city centre site some years ago I think?
I think they did move out but did not relinquish the lease since if they did I believe there was a provision that they would have to carry out significant alterations to put the building back to how it was before Anglia originally moved in. I thought they had moved back in after some musical chairs and indeed I I thought the original Anglia knight was in the reception area. Permanently rotating the 'wrong' way.

But, I don't post with anything like 100% certainty and am happy to be put right on this.
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Old 03-12-2016, 20:09
ftv
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is that fact? will there be any speacial broadcast for this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/abouttheb...b-b8259c6a1374
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