92-495: Great Australian Railway Journeys is a BBC Two documentary series produced by Boundless and presented by Michael Portillo . Great Australian Railway Journeys was first broadcast on BBC Two over six consecutive Saturday nights from 26 October 2019. BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC . It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers
184-449: A European Gas Turbines (EGT) 4.9MWe Typhoon gas turbine combined heating, power and cooling unit. It included a 6MW Thermax air conditioning (cooling) vapour absorption machine (VAM). The £6m HVAC system reduced energy costs by 35%, and paid for itself within three years. A second turbine was added, without a second chimney. However, in 2008 the BBC admitted that the energy system
276-458: A control room for the music studio originally located in Studio 0. Studio 12 was converted into an ad-hoc studio in 2004 for CBBC programmes. It was also used for Sportsround for some years, but was eventually converted into a presentation studio in 2006. It was used for in-vision continuity for CBBC and changed into an in-vision continuity studio in summer 2007. The set was transferred to
368-625: A central circular block (officially known as the Main Block, but often referred to by staff as the "doughnut") around which were studios, offices, engineering areas and the News Centre. In the centre of the main block was a statue designed by T. B. Huxley-Jones of Helios , the Greek god of the sun, to symbolise the radiation of television around the world. At the foot of the statue were two reclining figures, symbolising sound and vision ,
460-547: A diverse range of genres for a range of broadcasters. Notable productions hosted at the centre prior to 2013 include Strictly Come Dancing , Harry Hill's TV Burp , Match of the Day , Later... with Jools Holland , Miranda , The Alan Titchmarsh Show , The Armstrong & Miller Show , 8 Out of 10 Cats as well as big complex live productions such as Children in Need and Comic Relief . Classic BBC productions hosted at
552-529: A film on an issue most important to them. BBC2's Community Programme Unit kept this aspect of the channel's tradition alive into the 1990s in the form of Video Diaries and later Video Nation . The Community Programmes Unit was disbanded in 2004. BBC Two has also given various programmes from around the world their first UK broadcasts, and have introduced many more to terrestrial audiences. International shows that have been broadcast on BBC Two include M*A*S*H , The Simpsons , 24 , Family Guy , Buffy
644-406: A joint venture, Television Centre Developments, to manage the redevelopment of the 14-acre site. Only three of the eight production studios were earmarked for continued use by the BBC, with the rest being demolished for flats, and it was argued that this would leave insufficient facilities in the capital for independent television production, and a Save Television Centre Studios website and petition
736-623: A kind previously broadcast on BBC Two, for example the BBC Proms , now tend to appear on BBC Four instead. British television at the time of BBC2's launch consisted of two channels: the BBC Television Service and the ITV network made up of smaller regional companies. Both channels had existed in a state of competition since ITV's launch in 1955, and both had aimed for a populist approach in response. The 1962 Pilkington Report on
828-684: A lack of system conversion from the US NTSC system, were resolved by a committee headed by James Redmond , although this problem was not unique to BBC2. On 1 July 1967, during the Wimbledon Championships , BBC2 became the first channel in Europe to begin regular broadcasts in colour, using the PAL system. The thirteen-part series Civilisation (1969) was created as a celebration of two millennia of western art and culture to showpiece
920-613: A mini studio in the East Tower. It was used by BBC Research . 65 square metres (704 ft ) Opened in 1960, designed for in-vision continuity for BBC 1 , but was used as such for only three years. Became weather studio prior to the move to the BBC Weather Centre in 1990 (also in Television Centre), following which it was used by Children's BBC to supplement presentation from the 'Broom Cupboard', and
1012-441: A much higher audience share than most public-service channels worldwide. Originally styled BBC2 , it was the third British television station to be launched (starting on 21 April 1964), and from 1 July 1967, Europe's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour. It was envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming, and while this tendency has continued to date, most special-interest programmes of
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#17327811803431104-646: A number of extensions, the BBC had to seek accommodation elsewhere, such as the nearby BBC White City complex comprising White City One, a 25,000 square metre office building, and the adjacent Broadcast and Media Centres. The development of the Westfield shopping centre nearby led to a sharp rise in property prices and placed the Television Centre under threat. In February 2008, with an amendment in November, English Heritage requested listed status for
1196-483: A personality. At the time, BBC Two became the first BBC channel to feature a box logo. In 2007, BBC Two debuted the new theme , a "Window on the World", with the 2 numeral providing that view. Introduced on 18 February 2007, the new look also had the channel adopt a teal-coloured box logo, featuring the BBC logo above the word TWO , now in the font Avenir . In 2014, in honour of the channel's 50th anniversary, some of
1288-402: A production of Cole Porter 's Kiss Me, Kate , culminating with a fireworks display. However, at around 18:45 a huge power failure, originating from a fire at Battersea Power Station , caused Television Centre , and indeed much of west London, to lose all power. BBC1 was able to continue broadcasting via its facilities at Alexandra Palace , but all attempts to show the scheduled programmes on
1380-462: A separate schedule of Welsh-produced programming in comparison to the analogue BBC Two Wales. BBC 2W was discontinued in 2008 due to the transition to digital terrestrial television, with the main BBC Two Wales schedule being carried on Freeview thereafter. BBC Two Scotland operated until February 2019, when it was replaced by the national feed. Concurrently, a bespoke BBC Scotland channel
1472-448: A wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and documentaries. BBC Two has a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance " in contrast to the more mainstream and popular BBC One . Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio channels, it is funded by the television licence , and is therefore free of commercial advertising. It is a comparatively well-funded public-service channel, regularly attaining
1564-725: Is a full scale disposal of BBC Television Centre and we won't be leasing it back". The corporation officially put Television Centre on the property market in June 2011. BBC Sport and BBC Children's moved to dock10 , MediaCityUK in Salford Quays in 2012, with Children's Learning, Radio 5 Live and part of BBC Future Media & Technology. The move saw up to 1,500 posts at TV Centre and 700 posts at New Broadcasting House relocate to Salford Quays. BBC Breakfast , part of BBC News, moved to Salford in April 2012. On 16 July 2012,
1656-625: Is also available on cable and IPTV in the Netherlands , Belgium, Switzerland , Monaco and Liechtenstein . The channel is registered to broadcast within the European Union/EEA through the Luxembourgish Broadcasting Regulator – ALIA. On 27 March 2013, it began being carried by British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) to members of HM Forces and their families around the world, replacing
1748-672: Is answerable to the head of that department, and to the BBC Board . On 20 January 2016, Kim Shillinglaw announced that she had decided to leave the BBC as the Controller of BBC Two & BBC Four; as a result of the reorganisation, the posts of Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four were closed. Patrick Holland became Channel Controller of BBC Two in March 2017, following his earlier appointment as Channel Editor in July 2016. BBC Two's remit
1840-466: Is said to include one of the largest live newsrooms in the world. The final news broadcasts from Television Centre took place on 18 March 2013, when the BBC News channel and remaining news output completed the move to Broadcasting House. This was one of the final live broadcasts from the building. A 90-minute documentary titled Tales of Television Centre was broadcast on BBC Four in 2012 ahead of
1932-452: Is to be a mixed-genre channel appealing to a broad adult audience with programmes of depth and substance. It should carry the greatest amount and range of knowledge building programming of any BBC television channel, complemented by distinctive comedy, drama and arts programming. BBC Two's historical scope was arts, culture, some comedy and drama, and appealing to audiences not already served by BBC One or ITV. Over its first thirty or so years
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#17327811803432024-692: The BBC Red Button , and until 23 October 2012, via the Ceefax teletext service. BBC Television Centre Television Centre ( TVC ), formerly known as BBC Television Centre , is a building complex in White City , West London , which was the headquarters of BBC Television from 1960 to 2013, when BBC Television moved to Broadcasting House . After a refurbishment, the complex reopened in 2017 with three studios in use for TV production, operated by BBC Studioworks . The first BBC staff moved into
2116-831: The BFBS2 TV channel, which already carried a selection of BBC Two programmes. It shares a channel with CBBC , which broadcasts from early morning until the early evening. All feeds of BBC Two in both SD and HD are broadcast unencrypted on the Astra 2E and 2G satellites, allowing viewing across Belgium, the Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland and parts of France, Germany and Spain. The BBC announced in May 2008 that it had achieved its aim for all programming to have subtitles for viewers with hearing difficulties. These are available on
2208-656: The Parliament session , political debate programme Politics Live is broadcast on BBC Two. On Wednesdays, due to the Prime Minister's Questions , the programme is broadcast at the earlier time of 11:15am. The programme is not broadcast on Fridays or when Parliament is on a holiday break, so the simulcast of BBC News Now continues until 1:00pm for the BBC News at One on BBC One. At 10:30pm, current affairs programme Newsnight provides reports and analysis of
2300-399: The death and state funeral respectively of Elizabeth II . In a 2013 BBC Populus poll, BBC Two had the third-highest per-country TV channel quality rating among viewers surveyed in 14 countries, behind BBC One and Brazil's TV Cultura . The 1991 idents featured a sans-serif numeral 2 at the centre of an initially art-related scene; however, the idents moved away from this style as
2392-406: The double striped, orange '2' logo , heralded the start of computer-generated logos. The ident, created in-house by BBC engineers, lasted until March 1986. As the switch to digital-only terrestrial transmission progressed, BBC Two was (in each region in turn) the first analogue TV channel to be replaced with the BBC multiplex, at first four, then two weeks ahead of the other four channels. This
2484-499: The 1960s. Like the early Channel 4 , BBC Two also established for itself a reputation as a champion of independent and international cinema, under the Screen 2 brand. The channel has sometimes been judged, increasingly in more recent years, to have moved away from this original role and closer to the mainstream. Since the launch of the digital-only BBC Four , the BBC has been accused in particular of shifting its more highbrow output to
2576-575: The 1990s idents were re-introduced and from 2015, BBC Two Northern Ireland opted to use nearly forty idents from the 1991–2001 set. On 27 September 2018, the 1991–2001 idents were retired once again and BBC Two introduced a new set of idents, based on scenes incorporating a curve motif resembling the number 2. The new branding is designed to reflect BBC Two's "constant evolution, constant eclecticism, [and] constant sense of quality". The new idents are produced by various artists and studios, including Aardman Animations , The Mill and others. The new identity
2668-571: The BBC News Centre. BBC News moved out of Stage 6 in 2013 to the new BBC News Centre at New Broadcasting House in Central London. After redevelopment, Stage 6 became the new home to the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC Studios . There was no N7, to avoid confusion with TC7 , which housed 'big' news programmes such as BBC Breakfast , Working Lunch , and Newsnight . In February 1996, the electricity and heating were transferred to
2760-434: The BBC agreed to sell the site to Stanhope for £200 million. The building closed on 31 March 2013 and was redeveloped to include flats, office space, a cinema and hotels. Studios 1, 2 and 3 along with part of the basement and offices have been refurbished and leased back to the BBC on a 15-year lease. The original schedule would have seen Studios 1, 2, & 3 back in production by Autumn of 2014 however on 17 July 2014
2852-475: The BBC announced that due to the extensive building work, programme production would not recommence at Television Centre until 2017 when much of the demolition and groundwork has been completed. The BBC's commercial business, BBC Studios , will lease back Stage 6 as office space which is the part formerly occupied by BBC News. All BBC News, national radio and BBC World Service broadcasts were relocated to Broadcasting House between July 2012 and March 2013, which
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2944-483: The BBC's backup generator caught fire. Troubles were experienced in the South East region, as Newsroom South East started later than planned. The fire alarms went off at Television Centre later that day, leaving only a skeleton crew. Eventually many programmes returned, from different locations: Newsnight was presented from the main news studio with intermittent technical problems. The issues were attributed to
3036-613: The BBC's promise in 2007 that the sale of TVC was a "full-scale disposal" and that it would not be leasing back any part of the building. Demolition work began in February 2015. As of April 2016, only Studios TC1, TC2 and TC3 remained – the other studios TC4, TC5, TC6, TC7 and TC8 had all been demolished. The statue of Helios, the Greek God of Sun, had been removed for renovation before it returned later in 2016; developer Stanhope and construction manager Mace had carefully removed
3128-726: The Central Line and Wood Lane on the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines. On Friday 1 April 1949, Norman Collins , the Controller of the BBC Television Service, announced at the Television Society 's annual dinner at The Waldorf Hilton, London that a new TV centre would be built in Shepherd's Bush . London broadcasts at the time came from Alexandra Palace and Lime Grove Studios (from 1949). It
3220-749: The Central Ring of the building and Studio 1, noting in particular the John Piper mosaic, central drum with its mosaic tiles, the Huxley-Jones gilded statue of Helios, full-height glazing of the stair and original clock in the Central Ring, received Grade II listed status from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport . The 'atomic dots' and name of Studio 1, and the cantilevered porch on its exterior were noted as important architectural features of that building. The department did not consider
3312-540: The Coronavirus pandemic, BBC1 aired press conferences from the UK government about major developments from the pandemic and the scheduled BBC One programming during those News Specials was broadcast on BBC Two. However, on 9 April 2021 – the day of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh – BBC Two and BBC One both simulcast BBC News for the whole day. The same would happen on both 8 and 19 September 2022, following
3404-698: The Riverside Studios in Hammersmith and the Shepherd's Bush Empire for television production spaces and studio use; many of these facilities were still being used by the corporation decades later. Work resumed in 1953 on the TVC scenery block (Stage 1) and work began in 1954 on the canteen block (Stage 2), which doubled as a rehearsal space. Work on Stage 3, the central circular office block and studios, began in March 1955 on studios TC4, 5 and 2. The shells of studios TC1, TC6 and TC7 were constructed around
3496-490: The Scenery Block in 1953, and the centre was officially opened on 29 June 1960. It is one of the most readily recognisable facilities of its type, having appeared as the backdrop for many BBC programmes. Parts of the building are Grade II listed , including the central ring and Studio 1. Most of the BBC's national television and radio news output came from Television Centre, and in later years most recorded television
3588-648: The Vampire Slayer , Malcolm in the Middle , American Dad! , The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , The Ren & Stimpy Show , Moonlighting , The Tracey Ullman Show and Star Trek: Voyager . In January 2013, BBC Two ceased to show children's programmes and replaced the weekday morning schedule with repeats of the previous BBC One daytime schedule, children's programmes was returned in 2017 and 2022 in Saturday morning. It also began showing Sign Zone in
3680-487: The Year". A high-definition simulcast of BBC Two began broadcasting on 26 March 2013, replacing the standalone BBC HD channel. As of 29 November 2018 , there are three variations of BBC Two HD (Wales, Northern Ireland, and England). The channel controllers have been: Adam Barker served as Acting Controller of the channel after Janice Hadlow left the channel in March 2014 and until Kim Shillinglaw began as
3772-599: The air appeared to resemble a question mark in shape. The architect, Graham Dawbarn , (Norman & Dawbarn), drew a question mark on an envelope (now held by the BBC Written Archives Centre ) while thinking about the design of the building, and realised that it would be an ideal shape for the site. An article in The BBC Quarterly , July 1946, proposed a circular design, several years before Dawbarn drew up his plans. The building featured
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3864-405: The arts strand The Culture Show . Its most popular programme at the moment is Top Gear , which now moved to BBC One. Much of BBC Two's output has previously or subsequently been shown on other channels. Some of these programmes are repeats of popular or flagship programmes from BBC Four in a late-night strand, originally called BBC Four on Two but now unbranded. Other programmes are moved to
3956-404: The building from 1956 to 1970 and was responsible for the creation of the original 'BBC Television Centre' lettering on the façade of Studio 1. The lettering was later used all over the building, even in tile work outside lift entrances. Demands from Broadcasting House meant that Hayes had less time than he had thought to design a decor for the façade, leading to him puncturing a scale foam model of
4048-708: The channel as a result of their success on BBC Three or Four, so that subsequent series are well received. An example of this is the BBC Three series Torchwood , which was transferred to the channel following the success of the first series. BBC Two is also used as a testing ground for programmes prior to their moving to the flagship BBC One : such examples include Have I Got News for You and popular comedies Absolutely Fabulous and Miranda , which moved to BBC One after success on Two. Also in August 2014, The Great British Bake Off moved to BBC One, due to its success
4140-582: The channel developed a reputation for screening highly praised and prestigious drama series, among these Boys from the Blackstuff (1982), 1991's highly successful The Men's Room , the costume drama Middlemarch (1994) or 1996's critically acclaimed Our Friends in the North . The channel's "highbrow" profile is also in part attributable to a long history of demanding documentaries of all types, beginning with Civilisation and The Ascent of Man in
4232-439: The channel's formal launch, the channel broadcast " Trade Test Transmissions ", short films made externally by companies such as Shell and BP , which served to enable engineers to test reception, but became cult viewing. The channel was scheduled to begin at 19:20 on 20 April 1964, showing an evening of light entertainment, starting with the comedy show The Alberts , a performance from Soviet comedian Arkady Raikin , and
4324-610: The closure and redevelopment of The London Studios . However, in October 2018, it was announced that ITV would not be returning to the South Bank, and it is thought that ITV Daytime programmes will continue to be broadcast from Television Centre. On 29 June 2020, Television Centre turned 60 years old and the Royal Television Society released a commemorative programme to celebrate. The overall design from
4416-421: The components of television. It was originally a fountain, but owing to the building's unique shape it was too noisy for the staff in the overlooking offices, and there were problems with water leakage into the videotape area which for a long time was directly beneath. Even though there was a foundation stone marked 'BBC 1956' in the basement of the main building, construction began in 1951. Arthur Hayes worked on
4508-403: The early hours; prior to 2013, this had been broadcast by BBC One. This was the only channel that broadcast Sign Zone in the early hours until the relaunch of BBC Three as a television channel in 2022. From October 2013, BBC Two has shown classic programmes like Bergerac , Cagney and Lacey , The Rockford Files , 'Allo 'Allo! , and Are You Being Served? on weekday afternoons, with
4600-447: The entire Television Centre resulting in services such as BBC One , BBC Two and BBC Radio 4 coming off air and/or altering their schedules. BBC News 24 went off air twice before being relocated to the BBC's Westminster studios and simulcasting with BBC World (marking a rare occurrence where BBC World was broadcast to UK viewers). The Six O'Clock News suffered severe lighting problems and had to be cancelled halfway through, and
4692-524: The future of broadcasting noticed this, and that ITV lacked any culturally relevant programming. It therefore decided that Britain's third television station should be awarded to the BBC. Prior to its launch, the new BBC2 was promoted on the BBC Television Service: the soon-to-be-renamed BBC1 . The animated adverts featured the campaign mascots "Hullabaloo", a mother kangaroo , and "Custard", her joey . Prior to, and several years after,
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#17327811803434784-450: The future of the fledgling channel, the BBC's gamble was hugely successful, with an average of six million viewers per episode: a feat made more prominent by the fact that only 9 million were able to receive the channel at the time. In 1974, BBC2's widely acclaimed singer-songwriter series, In Concert , was lauded by The Guardian as the only British music television program that "produced television ideas". Unlike BBC1 and ITV, BBC2
4876-509: The gilded bronze figure with heritage experts PAYE Conservation for repair and renovation. The Helios has stood in the rotunda at Television Centre since the former BBC headquarters opened in 1960. BBC Studioworks , the commercial subsidiary of the BBC operate and maintain Studios 1, 2 and 3 and the production facilities at Television Centre. The newly refurbished facilities officially opened on 1 September 2017. As of April 2017, bookings for
4968-470: The last single drama recorded was Henry IV, Part 1 , in 1995. The reason for the decline was because drama productions (except for soap operas) shifted almost entirely onto film or single-camera video, and Television Centre was a video-based, multi-camera production environment. Programmes recorded or transmitted included: 111 square metres (1,200 ft ) Opened as N1 in September 1969, it
5060-420: The move out. On 22 March 2013, BBC Four devoted its evening schedule to programmes commemorating Television Centre. At the heart of the evening was Goodbye Television Centre , a two-hour history presented by former BBC1 controller and BBC chairman Michael Grade . The last live programme broadcast was Madness Live: Goodbye Television Centre , shown that day on BBC Four. In March 2013, the BBC and Stanhope formed
5152-414: The nation—sometimes both at the same time." Currently, and in the later years of the BBC's occupation of the centre, the studio facilities were run by the wholly owned commercial subsidiary BBC Studioworks . The studios vary in size and all studios were usually abbreviated to initials, such as TC1 (Television Centre 1) for Studio 1. The studios have hosted a wide variety of television programmes covering
5244-453: The new channel failed. Associated-Rediffusion , the London weekday ITV franchise-holder, offered to transmit on the BBC's behalf, but their gesture was rejected. At 22:00 programming was officially postponed until the following morning. As the BBC's news centre at Alexandra Palace was unaffected, they did in fact broadcast brief bulletins on BBC2 that evening, beginning with an announcement by
5336-572: The new channel, which, until the end of the UK's digital TV switchover in October 2012, a minority (7.5% in the final quarter of 2010) of viewers did not receive. BBC Four's remit is very similar to the earlier remit of BBC2, and contains many documentaries and arts programmes. It has been perceived by some that this strategy is to allow BBC Two to show more popular programmes and to secure higher ratings. Since 2004 there have been some signs of an attempt to return closer to parts of BBC Two's earlier output with
5428-488: The new colour technology. BBC1 and ITV later joined BBC2 on 625-line UHF band but continued to simulcast on 405-line VHF until 1985. BBC1 and ITV simultaneously introduced PAL colour on UHF on 15 November 1969, although they both had broadcast some programmes in colour "unofficially" since September 1969. In 1979, the station's adoption of the first computer-generated channel identification (ident) in Britain, with its use of
5520-521: The new permanent occupant of the post. From 2013, the Controller of BBC Two was given the expanded title Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four , with ultimate oversight of the BBC Four service added to their duties (a BBC Four "Channel Editor", reporting up to this Controller, was allocated day-to-day operational control of Four). The channel forms part of the BBC Television executive group and
5612-479: The newsreader Gerald Priestland at around 19:25. There was believed to be no recording made of this bulletin, but a videotape was discovered in early 2003. By 11:00 on 21 April 1964, power had been restored to the studios and programming began, thus making Play School the first programme to be shown officially on the channel. The launch schedule, postponed from the night before, was then successfully shown that evening, albeit with minor changes. In reference to
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#17327811803435704-399: The other buildings, including all other studios, scenery block and canteen of sufficient special interest to warrant listing. Making the protection announcement, the architecture minister Barbara Follett noted that it was where Doctor Who , Fawlty Towers and Blue Peter were made: "It has been a torture chamber for politicians, and an endless source of first-class entertainment for
5796-500: The power cut, the transmission opened with a shot of a lit candle which was then sarcastically blown out by presenter Denis Tuohy . To establish the new channel's identity and draw viewers to it, the BBC decided that a widely promoted, lavish series would be essential in its earliest days. The production chosen was The Forsyte Saga (1967), a no-expense-spared adaptation of the novels by John Galsworthy , featuring well-established actors Kenneth More and Eric Porter . Critically for
5888-525: The previous year on BBC Two. In 2017, Bake Off moved from BBC One to Channel 4 . Another founding part of BBC Two was to provide educational and community programming on the BBC, as part of its public service remit. The educational section of this commitment saw BBC2 broadcast a large amount of programming for the Open University , who co-produced programming with the corporation, and saw the channel broadcast BBC Schools programmes from 1983 until
5980-469: The programmes were transferred to the BBC Learning Zone in 2010. As a result of the channel's commitment to community broadcasting, the channel produced the symbolic Open Space series, a strand developed in the early 1970s in which members of the public would be allotted half an hour of television time, and given a level of editorial and technical training in order to produce for themselves
6072-427: The renovated studios were being taken. The first programme to transmit live from the newly refurbished studios was Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two on BBC Two on Monday 25 September 2017. It was hosted by Zoe Ball . In April 2018, ITV's daytime programmes Good Morning Britain , Lorraine , This Morning , Loose Women and political discussion programme Peston moved to Television Centre, due to
6164-420: The retro logos from 1970s and 1980s, between the current programmes. In October 2014, Russell Howard's Good News and Backchat moved to BBC Two from BBC Three. In 2014, BBC Two commissioned Britain's first transgender sitcom, Boy Meets Girl , which follows the developing relationship between Leo, a 26-year-old man, and Judy, a 40-year-old transgender woman. From 7 April 2015, the morning Sign Zone
6256-573: The same time but they were not fitted out until a few years later. BBC Television Centre officially opened with TC3 operational on 29 June 1960. When it opened in June 1960, the Director of BBC television was Gerald Beadle , and the first programme broadcast was First Night with David Nixon in Studio Three. In 1997, the BBC News Centre was opened, in a new complex at the front of the building. The decision to move radio news to this building
6348-524: The scenery workshop, the canteen block adjoining the Blue Peter Garden , and the central building. Previously, under a longstanding deal between the BBC and English Heritage the building was not listed to allow the BBC to make changes necessary in a broadcasting centre. In return, the BBC agreed that if it left, the fabric of the building would be restored to its mid-1960s state, and English Heritage would list notable features. On 17 June 2009
6440-428: The site include some of Britain's best known television programmes including Fawlty Towers , Monty Python's Flying Circus , Blue Peter , Absolutely Fabulous , the original Doctor Who series and most of the best known BBC drama series. From the 1980s the use of the complex for such productions declined with the last major drama series to be shot there being The House of Eliott , which ended in 1994, and
6532-415: The station's style changed. Although highly praised, this expansive set of idents was ended in November 2001. The BBC corporate logo was updated within the idents in October 1997, though the idents moved away from the original viridian colour scheme in these latter years. The subsequent presentation style was introduced on 19 November 2001 and kept the same figure 2 , but in a yellow background and given
6624-507: The stories behind the day's headlines. BBC Two does not broadcast any news and current affairs programming at the weekend. From 2017 until 2019, it broadcast the UK selection show for the Eurovision Song Contest , Eurovision: You Decide . The channel stopped broadcasting the show after the 2019 edition due to the fact that the BBC opted for an internal selection in collaboration with BMG Rights Management . In 2020, it
6716-425: The wall with drawing pins, and thus the birth of the iconic 'Atomic Dots' : there are 26 across the façade of Studio 1, each one backlit and clearly visible at night. The building as opened in 1960 was extended a number of times, notably along the 'spur' towards Wood Lane in line with the original masterplan although the actual implementation was completed over a number of decades and by different architects. Despite
6808-417: Was announced on 18 October 2007 that in order to meet a £2 billion shortfall in funding, the BBC intended to "reduce the size of the property portfolio in west London by selling BBC Television Centre by the end of the financial year 2012/13", with the then Director General , Mark Thompson , saying the plan would deliver "a smaller, but fitter, BBC" in the digital age. A BBC spokesman has added that "this
6900-447: Was attributed to Director General John Birt , a move that was resisted by the managing director of BBC Radio , Liz Forgan , who resigned after failing to dissuade the governors. Birt's decision caused problems; for example some politicians accustomed to travelling to interviews at Broadcasting House in Central London were reluctant to make the journey to White City, despite being only 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (7.2 km) west. It
6992-545: Was attributed to the Real IRA and the culprits were eventually caught. The front of the building suffered moderate damage, but was soon repaired. Television Centre has suffered from power cuts that affected normal broadcasting, but these were not seen as a systemic problem. One such power cut caused the launch night of BBC2 , on 20 April 1964, to be cancelled; programmes began the next day. A major power failure occurred on 20 June 2000 at approximately 5 p.m., affecting
7084-497: Was being used for emergency purposes only as it had become cost-ineffective to use full-time. Excess electricity produced at night has not been returned to the National Grid , as originally planned. In November 2003, the turbine's chimneys caught fire, bringing TV output to a halt. After the fire the turbines were no longer used regularly. On 4 March 2001, a bomb placed outside the news centre exploded, with no fatalities. It
7176-498: Was broadcast only on the 625-line UHF system, so was not available to viewers still using sets only capable of receiving the 405-line VHF system. This created a market for dual standard receivers which could switch between the two systems. Set manufacturers increased production of UHF sets in anticipation of a large market demand for the new BBC2, but the market did not materialise. . The early technical problems, which included being unable to transmit US-recorded videotapes due to
7268-538: Was designed for in-vision continuity for BBC 2 , but that channel did not use in-vision continuity for more than a few months after launch. Became a general purpose studio housing small productions such as Points of View , the Film series with Barry Norman and The Old Grey Whistle Test . It closed in 1996 and initially remained disused until it was converted (along with Pres A) into additional presentation control rooms. The substantially thick wall between Pres A and B
7360-472: Was developed by BBC Creative and Superunion. BBC Two also has regional variations in Wales and Northern Ireland , which occasionally opt out of the national BBC Two feed to air programmes of local interest. In November 2001, BBC Wales introduced a special opt-out service known as BBC 2W , which aired weekdays from 8.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the BBC Two Wales channel space on digital television, and carried
7452-568: Was launched, which simulcasts the BBC Two schedule with opt-outs for local programming from 7:00 p.m. to midnight nightly, and occasionally during the afternoon for news and sports programmes. The Northern Irish version of BBC Two is widely available in the Republic of Ireland on satellite and cable , as well as being received directly in areas bordering Northern Ireland , or in coastal areas from Wales . The national version of BBC Two
7544-582: Was output from the nearby Broadcast Centre at 201 Wood Lane, care of Red Bee Media . Live television events from studios and routing of national and international sporting events took place within Television Centre before being passed to the Broadcast Centre for transmission. The building is 4 miles (6 kilometres) west of central London, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham . The nearest Underground stations are White City on
7636-529: Was removed and a mezzanine floor constructed to house a larger presentation control area for interactive and children's channels CBBC and CBeebies. In addition to these studios, BBC News used a number of studios for the frequent news bulletins. These studios have a different naming system owing to their permanent usage and were not included on most studio lists, as they were unavailable for hire. These studios were located in Stage 5 & Stage 6, commonly known as
7728-460: Was renamed TC11. In 2002 it became home to Liquid News and later to the other BBC Three news programmes 60 Seconds and The 7 O'Clock News . It briefly played host to the domestic BBC News bulletins while their studios were refurbished in 2006, before becoming general purpose. It was home to Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two until 15 December 2011, after which the studio was closed. 56 square metres (600 ft ) Originally built as
7820-473: Was reported that the programme Victoria Derbyshire would end, owing to the BBC's £80m cuts. Since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic , Victoria Derbyshire has been presenting the first hour of BBC News, which continues until 13:00. BBC Two is also known for broadcasting some BBC One programmes in a change to the schedules when that channel is broadcasting a BBC News Special. For example; during
7912-405: Was required for those relay transmitters that had no current Freeview service giving viewers time to purchase the equipment unless they had already selected a satellite or cable service. The last region for BBC Two to end on analogue terrestrial television was Northern Ireland on 10 October 2012. At the 2012 Edinburgh International Television Festival , BBC Two was named "Terrestrial Channel of
8004-466: Was set up. In December 2013, Stanhope was granted planning permission from the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. In October 2014, UK magazine Private Eye reported that having spent £60 million to remove broadcasting equipment from the building, the BBC planned to spend £12 million a year to lease back parts of the building. This decision was in direct contradiction of
8096-643: Was shown before Victoria Derbyshire 8:00am-9:00 am including See Hear on Wednesday morning. BBC Two is also known for broadcasting some news and current affairs programmes. It broadcasts BBC News updates every morning at 9 am, simulcasting the BBC News channel after it stops simulcasting BBC Breakfast on BBC1. This includes an edition of BBC Business Today at 11:30 and Sportsday at 11:45, then fifteen minutes of BBC News Now , this had previously been between 2006-2010 an edition of World News Today and 2010-2011 GMT . At 12:15 pm during
8188-511: Was the home of CBeebies . 186 square metres (2,000 ft ) Opened as N2 in September 1969, and the same size as N1, it was used for the BBC2 daytime news bulletins. Extended in 1985 to include props store and adjacent lobby, it became home to the Six O'Clock and Nine O'Clock News . In spring 1999, following the completion of the News Centre spur of Television Centre, the news moved out and it
8280-436: Was to be the largest television centre in the world. It was planned to be 6 acres (2.4 hectares), but turned out to be twice the size. The building was commissioned in 1949 with work starting in 1950. However government restrictions on building, through its loan sanction and licensing of materials, ensured that building work was halted until 1953. Intended as stopgaps, the BBC remodelled the former Gaumont Studios at Lime Grove,
8372-519: Was used for slots such as birthdays and public holidays. It became full-time home of Children's BBC in 1994 following the vacation of the 'Broom Cupboard'. It closed following CBBC's move to TC9 and was converted into additional presentation control rooms. The substantially thick wall between Pres A and B was removed and a mezzanine floor constructed to house a larger presentation control area for interactive and children's channels CBBC and CBeebies . 65 square metres (704 ft ) Opened in 1964, Pres B
8464-551: Was used for the BBC1 daytime news bulletins, and the home of BBC World (previously BBC World Service News) from 1993. Closed in spring 1999 when news bulletins moved to the News Centre section of Television Centre, and renamed as TC10. Used for some programmes by channel UK Play until the station's closure. Between 2004 and 2006 it was used for in-vision continuity for CBBC on BBC One and BBC Two , before being used by some programming for CBBC such as Level Up . From 2010 to 2011 it
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