BBC Television Centre, once home to Doctor Who and countless beloved TV Shows, is saying its final farewell as the BBC brings down the curtain on 53 years of Broadcasting History at the site.
Yesterday, the BBC celebrated the farewell with a gig by evergreen "nutty boys" turned national treasures Madness.
Speaking to DWO, Colin Baker (The 6th Doctor), had the following to say on the closure:
"All I can really add about TC8 is that I have such fond memories of working in those wonderful studios at TV Centre and they are such iconic symbols of the history of British (and world) Television that it it heart breaking to see something trashed that once gone can never be restored.
As I recall - and correct me if I am wrong - TC1 and TC8 were the biggest studios. I think I did War and Peace in TC8 and that's where Anthony Hopkins (as Pierre Bezukhov) hurled me (as Anatol Kuragin) across the set.
I know times move on but in America they treasure the old studio sets and preserve them for posterity - sometimes by creating an attraction there that will bring tourists to the site. In any event, it's a great shame. But this is the organisation of course that has forced hundreds of people to move to Manchester in the name of regionalism and jettison a wonderful facility in the heart of London that is recognised all over the world."
The final programme which will be made at the site will be for a comedy panel show pilot, to be recorded on 29th March.
The premises have been sold for £200m to property developer, Stanhope, and the 14-acre 'fun factory', complete with the infamous doughnut-shaped inner ring, will be turned into a hotel, cinema, restaurants, cafes, a health club and apartments.
In 2015, the BBC will be back at BBC Television Centre, but will only occupy 20% of the redeveloped site with a 'creative hub', which will include leasing three of the biggest TV studios which will be revamped. BBC Worldwide will return to the space previously occupied by BBC News.
DWO have compiled a guide to Doctor Who stories filmed at BBC Television Centre, below:
Television Centre 1
The Wheel in Space, The War Games, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, The Three Doctors, Planet of the Daleks, The Time Warrior, Planet of the Spiders, The Ark in Space, Genesis of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, The Brain of Morbius, The Robots of Death, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, The Androids of Tara, Destiny of the Daleks, The Leisure Hive, Castrovalva, Arc of Infinity, Terminus, Enlightenment, The King's Demons, The Two Doctors, Revelation of the Daleks, Mindwarp, Terror of the Vervoids, The Ultimate Foe, Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers, Dragonfire.
Television Centre 3
The Aztecs, The Sensorites, The Daleks' Master Plan, The Wheel in Space, The Dominators, The Mind Robber, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno, The Mind of Evil, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Curse of Peladon, The Mutants, The Time Monster, Frontier in Space, Planet of the Daleks, The Green Death, Robot, The Ark in Space, Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Android Invasion, The Brain of Morbius, The Masque of Mandragora, The Deadly Assassin, The Face of Evil, The Sun Makers, Underworld, The Stones of Blood, The Armageddon Factor, Destiny of the Daleks, City of Death, The Horns of Nimon, Shada, The Leisure Hive, Meglos, Full Circle, State of Decay, Warriors' Gate, Logopolis, The Visitation, Black Orchid, The Mysterious Planet, Terror of the Vervoids, Delta and the Bannermen, Dragonfire, The Happiness Patrol, Battlefield, Ghost Light.
Television Centre 4
The Sensorites, The Reign of Terror, Planet of Giants, The Space Museum, The Chase, The Time Meddler, Galaxy Four, Mission to the Unknown, The Gunfighters, The Dominators, The Space Pirates, The War Games, The Ambassadors of Death, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Dæmons, Day of the Daleks, The Curse of Peladon, The Mutants, The Time Monster, Carnival of Monsters, Frontier in Space, Planet of the Daleks, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Death to the Daleks, The Monster of Peladon, The Seeds of Doom, The Ribos Operation, The Twin Dilemma, Timelash, Aliens of London.
Television Centre 4A
The Mutants, The Masque of Mandragora.
Television Centre 6
The War Games, Inferno, Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, The Three Doctors, Carnival of Monsters, Planet of the Daleks, The Time Warrior, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, The Monster of Peladon, Planet of the Spiders, Genesis of the Daleks, Planet of Evil, Pyramids of Mars, The Invisible Enemy, Image of the Fendahl, The Sun Makers, The Pirate Planet, The Androids of Tara, The Power of Kroll, City of Death, The Creature from the Pit, Nightmare of Eden, The Horns of Nimon, Full Circle, State of Decay, Warriors' Gate, The Keeper of Traken, Logopolis, Castrovalva, Four to Doomsday, Snakedance, Mawdryn Undead, Terminus, The Five Doctors, Warriors of the Deep, The Awakening, Frontios, Resurrection of the Daleks, Planet of Fire, The Caves of Androzani, Attack of the Cybermen, Vengeance on Varos, The Mark of the Rani, The Two Doctors, The Mysterious Planet, Mindwarp.
Television Centre 7
The Claws of Axos, Robot.
Television Centre 8
The War Games, Doctor Who and the Silurians, Terror of the Autons, Day of the Daleks, The Sea Devils, The Mutants, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Planet of the Spiders, Genesis of the Daleks, Revenge of the Cybermen, The Android Invasion, The Seeds of Doom, The Hand of Fear, The Deadly Assassin, The Robots of Death, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, The Invasion of Time, Meglos, The Keeper of Traken, Kinda, Earthshock, Time-Flight, Terminus, Resurrection of the Daleks, Planet of Fire, The Twin Dilemma, Timelash, Revelation of the Daleks, Time and the Rani, Paradise Towers, Remembrance of the Daleks, The Happiness Patrol.
Puppet Theatre
The Web of Fear, The Dominators, The Mind Robber, The Curse of Peladon, The Three Doctors, The Ark in Space, Revenge of the Cybermen, Pyramids of Mars.
Presentation Studio B
Terminus.
* In 2013, BBC Television Centre was used for Mark Gatiss' Doctor Who biodrama, 'An Adventure In Space And Time' which will air later in the year.
+ Do you think BBC Television Centre should have been sold off? Vote Now in the DWO Forums!
[Sources: DWO; The Guardian; TARDIS Wikia]
