Off topic, but only just!
The BBC's Television Centre in West London has been, amongst other things, the home of BBC Television since the early 1960s. Sadly, the BBC have decided to leave this iconic building later this year. In order to mark this end of an era, BBC4 recently screened Tales of Television Centre, which has fortunately been uploaded onto YouTube (see below).
Of course TVC was home to to Doctor Who for most of the classic series and the programme is well represented here with contributions from Peter Davison, Katy Manning, Louise Jameson, Janet Fielding, Brian Blessed (with a very interesting tale to tell about the statue in the middle of the "donut"), directors Waris Hussein and Graeme Harper, costume designer June Hudson,vision mixer Clive Doig, cameramen Roger Bunce and John Henshell and former BBC1 controller Jonathan Powell.
But Doctor Who was only a small (but important!) part of the output from this building. This fascinating documentary contains rare behind-the-scenes footage (including a clip of Christopher Barry directing Z-Cars!) and contributions from Terry Wogan (who else?), David Attenbrough, Penelope Keith, Jools Hooland, Phillip Glenister, Nigel Havers, Griff Rhys-Jones and Robert Powell amongst others. Even the guy who did the graphics on Grandstand gets a look in (though I find it interesting that the only director-general they interviewed was Greg Dyke).
The best bit? I'd say all of it, but the ending is very emotional with all the contributors being asked to sum up in one word what TVC means to them. A few were even moved to tears.
How would I describe TVC in one word? It's an impossible task. It was not just Doctor Who that was born and made here, but also The Goodies, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Blake's 7, Yes Minister/Prime Minister, Are You Being Served?, Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, Being Human... the list goes on. So how would I describe it? A wondrous place that will live on in the programmes that were made there. And hopefully the next director-general will reverse the decision! And hopefully there'll be a DVD realise because I'd love to see the stories that didn't make the final cut!
