Teddington Studios

Teddington Studios is a large British television studio complex located in Teddington, South-West London, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on BBC television, ITV, and Channel 4. The complex also provides studio space for channel continuity.

History

The studio began in the early 20th century as film studios when stockbroker Henry Chinnery, owner of Weir House, Teddington, allowed filmmakers to use his greenhouse as a studio. Dedicated studio facilities were then built in the 1910s. The studio was greatly expanded by a partnership of filmmaker E. G. Norton and actor Henry Edwards, and renamed Teddington Film Studios Limited in 1931.

After only one production, "Stranglehold" (1931), the studio was acquired by Warner Brothers to turn out so-called "quota quickies" - British-made films which fulfilled a legal quota (created by the Cinematograph Films Act 1927) before American-made films could be shown. Warner Bros.-First National continued to make US/UK coproductions at Teddington until "The Dark Tower" (1943). One Teddington Studios production "Murder at Monte Carlo" (1934) with Errol Flynn in his first major film role, is considered a lost film. On 17 September and 24 September 2007, Turner Classic Movies presented 13 films made at Teddington Studios, all in their US television premiere.

By the 1950s the studio's fortunes had declined, but in 1958 it was bought by Associated British Corporation (ABC) for use as a television studio. When ABC was replaced by Thames Television (in which ABC's parent company had a 51% stake), Teddington Studios became the main production centre for Thames's entertainment and documentary shows, while news and sports programming were made at Thames's Euston Road headquarters.

After Thames lost its broadcast franchise in 1992 to Carlton Television, the studio became independent. Without a major broadcaster or studio group owning the studios, their future was questioned (as Calton was going to produce its programmes elsewhere), but they survived and stayed independent for 13 years, when in 2005, the Pinewood Studios Group bought the complex for £2.7m [ BBC News, 1 April 2005 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4399671.stm] .

Facilities

The site has 8 studios in total, as well as post production editing facilities.

tudios

tudio 1

Studio 1 is Teddington's largest studio at nearly convert|8900|sqft|m2|0. It is a fully digital widescreen studio, with audience seating for 500, making it popular for programmes such as "Harry Hill's TV Burp" for ITV1, "The Green Green Grass" for BBC1 and "After You've Gone" for BBC1. Other notable productions include one series of "Parkinson", "Black Books" and "Men Behaving Badly". [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_StageProductions.aspx?stage=&id=83&type=0&folder=2 Pinewood Studios - Production Filmography ] ]

tudio 2

Studio 2 measures nearly convert|5700|sqft|m2|0 and has been the home to shows such as "Today with Des and Mel" for ITV1, "Kilroy" for BBC1 and the first series of "Trisha" after moving to five. This studio is popular for programmes which require intimate medium sized space, like "Bremner, Bird and Fortune" for Channel Four. [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_StageProductions.aspx?stage=&id=82&type=0&folder=2 Pinewood Studios - Production Filmography ] ]

tudio 3

Studio 3 is a much smaller studio at convert|2098|sqft|m2|0 and is home to many music shows productions and television commercials.

tudio 4

Studio 4 is a small, widescreen equipped studio (convert|1475|sqft|m2|0) and since early 2008 has been the home of the continuity for BBC pre-school childrens' channel CBeebies. [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_infoFacility.aspx?intFacilityId=85&intFacilityTypeId=11&Folder=3 Pinewood Studios - Studio 4 Teddington Studios - TV Studios ] ] In November 2007, the BBC announced CBeebies was to leave BBC Television Centre for the Teddington Studios to cut costs. It is understood that CBeebies will be able to make use of Teddington's facilities for half the rate charged to it by BBC Resources for studios at Television Centre - saving the channel around £500,000 per year.

tudio 5

Another small studio, Studio 5 currently broadcasts digital satellite channel, The Chinese Channel. [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_infoFacility.aspx?intFacilityId=90&intFacilityTypeId=11&Folder=3 Pinewood Studios - Studio 5 Teddington Studios - TV Studios ] ]

tudio 6

Until early 2008, this small studio was occupied by The Jewellery Channel. The studio is now vacant. [ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewellery_Channel] ]

tudio 7

Built on the site of the prop store for Studio 2, this small studio was built within weeks for participation TV channel QuizCall, whose content is produced using widescreen cameras. [ [http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/studio%20history.htm history of TV studios in London ] ] ] At launch, QuizCall was originally designed for 15 hours of broadcasts everyday. In early 2007 the channel closed, but continued to air nightly on other channels. Today QuizCall still occupies the same studio but only broadcasts content three nights a week, now on five.

tudio 8

This studio, also small, is currently hosting Turf TV, a racing channel. [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_infoFacility.aspx?intFacilityId=113&intFacilityTypeId=11&Folder=3 Pinewood Studios - Studio 8 Teddington Studios - TV Studios ] ]

Other facilities

Like many studios Teddington also includes set and prop storage, green rooms, wardrobe and makeup and provides car parking. [ [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/z_sys_infoFacility.aspx?intFacilityId=115&intFacilityTypeId=11&Folder=3 Pinewood Studios - Production Accommodation Teddington Studios - TV Studios ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=292 The Twickenham Museum: history of Teddington Studios]
* [http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/studio%20history.htm Unofficial history of Teddington Studios]
* [http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/ Official Teddington Studios website, part of the Pinewood Studios Group]
* [http://shop.pinewoodgroup.com/ Pinewood Studios Group online store]
* [http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=176202&mainArticleId=176201 Turner Classic Movies festival of Teddington Studios films in September 2007]