It’s been on the cards for a long time, but the date has been set. The BBC is vacating TV Centre.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressr ... sion.shtml

It is a really bad time to sell. Though things could improve enough that it makes sense. Though where will they work from instead, if they end up leasing somewhere then the governers are idiots. You only have to see the examples of Southern Cross to see that they are not suitable for everyone.

Do keep up. Much of BBC production is moving to Salford next year.

Shows that London has become far too expensive for the BBC to maintain anything other than a skeletal presence in the capital. Mind you, most of the good stuff the BBC produces these days seems to come from Cardiff anyway.

I cant see that going down too well with many. The staff will have to tolerate it but can you see any celebs wanting to go there for shows? Many programs will still have be made in London regardless of what the management think.

The clebs have as much to lose by not being on TV as the Beeb do by not showing them. They'll still get paid and probably get put up in a swanky hotel in Manchester (yes, there are a couple) for a night into the bargain. I really can't see it being the problem people make it out to be. For anyone coming in from outside the UK, they probably won't even notice. It's plane to airport - driven to studio - do thing - driven to hotel - eat/sleep - driven to airport - plane home or some variation thereof. Would they even know which city they were in?

Jon

Yes but the BBC could face extra costs like this.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/201 ... -22985224/

He was coming from Dublin, presumably on a promotional tour. They'd have exactly the same issues flying to London or Manchester. He threw a diva strop because he had to travel with the hoi polloi not because he was flying east rather than south east.

I'm sorry, it's cobblers. The world will still continue to spin on it's axis. Celebrities will still want to get publicity, authors and other creatives will still want to plug their wares. The idea masses of them are going to refuse to appear on national television simply because the studio is in point A rather than point B, well, if they do then good luck to them because they apparently don't need the publicity anyway.

And actually, why the hell does anyone give a monkey's anyway? So there will possibly be less vacuous celebrities on the BBC. Hoo-chuffing-ray, frankly. Let them all sod off to channels I don't watch anyway, I'll be even happier. In fact, if every single 'celebrity' went on a mass strike protesting at the BBC moving to Manchester, I for one would be cheering to the rafters. I can count the number of famous people whose opinions I actually give a damn about on the fingers of one hand and I can tell you now, none of them are pretentious and egotistical enough to expect the mountain to come to Mohammed.

Jon

Haven't the beeb just absolutely blown a budget on the refurb of TV centre?

Having had the privilege of working in TVC for a couple of years a few years back I have to say its such a shame its being sold. It has an incredible atmosphere and iconic status.

The Salford buildings are well "typical modern office blocks" just like the BBC complex at Media city just up the road from TVC.

Ah well.

To be fair, Television Centre is one fugly building from the outside.
It might be listed and it might have iconic status, but it certainly doesn't look pretty or even interesting from the outside.

Mark

It's a child of its time - the 1950s. A building designed to perform a function as efficiently as possible, and allowing for a future expansion that never happened.

It is not that interesting on the inside. Long corridors and typical office layout except for the studios.

I for one like the fact they are moving to media city

It proves that the UK isn't all about London (something I especially like..)
Celebs might like the change, sure the staff are a bit miffed, but everyone always is when someone moves and you HAVE to move.
and I also like the move since I'm going to Salford uni and will be in media city for 3 days out of 5, and am hoping to get to see some celebs!