Rubble and memories

Television Centre in west London is currently a hive of activity. But not a place where programmes are being made by a hive of dedicated staff. It’s become a noisy building site where the former BBC hub is being transformed into a complex of homes, a hotel and other facilities.

I pass by the knot of cranes, bulldozers and diggers on my way to work at what’s left of the BBC in this area. The ‘donut’ has been stripped bare, while other familiar locations including the restaurant building are being pulled apart.

Most startling of all is the demolition of an entire wing of the complex where I worked for several years, leaving the spur – now occupied by BBC Worldwide – standing alone. Offices and corridors on the 7th floor that I knew so well have long since turned to dust.

Watching such a familiar landmark undergoing such drastic change is somehow difficult – yet fascinating – to witness every day. But at the same time I remind myself that its fabric was sagging around the edges and was at times not my favourite place on Earth. Life moves on…

As for these photographs, they are not intended to be artful or easy on the eye. They’re documentary snapshots capturing the former BBC Television Centre on 2 October 2015.

Click first image to launch the gallery

BBC Television Centre in March 2013

Tags: architecture, BBC canteen, BBC Television Centre, building site, demolition, Donut, London, photography, redevelopment, Star Terrace, Television Centre, White City

16 thoughts on “Rubble and memories”

Emma on October 8, 2015 at 10:50 said:

These are fab Mike, it’s a bit sad, isn’t it? But will be interested to see what it looks like when it’s all finished. x

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 9, 2015 at 11:55 said:
  
  Thank you Emma. I agree, it’s sad but change is always a challenge. Hopefully the finished article will be stunning, though I don’t think we’ll be able to stake a claim in it because we once worked there!
  
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leecleland on October 8, 2015 at 05:43 said:

Interesting to see the now and compare with the original.

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 8, 2015 at 08:32 said:
  
  Thanks Lee. Yes, the old photo was taken just before most people moved out when the keys were handed over.
  
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Laura Bloomsbury on October 7, 2015 at 16:26 said:

Back in the 60’s my father was a surveyor for this iconic landmark – not a beauty but very interesting to see its deconstruction through your lens

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 17:00 said:
  
  Thank you Laura and very interesting to hear about the family connection.
  
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Dave Nash on October 7, 2015 at 11:43 said:

It’s not all bad news. They are still going to be making television programmes there. I have just finished a contract working on the refurbishment of three of the studios there, and although they wont be complete for another couple of years, they are coming back :-)

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 16:58 said:
  
  Too true, Dave, and the BBC will have a stake in them. Can you imagine living in a plush flat next to the studios? Bizarre.
  
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Helen Bushby on October 7, 2015 at 10:24 said:

Wow, not much of the old place left by the looks of it… amazing pics, thanks for sharing, they’re part of our history! xx

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 16:57 said:
  
  Thank you Helen. And that spiral staircase where we had our team photo taken many moons ago has bit the dust too. Times are a-changing in front of our very eyes x
  
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Photographs by Peter Knight on October 7, 2015 at 09:24 said:

My father worked at the BBC his entire career Mike, in radio mainly, but I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s with the BBC a close part of my life.
The famous image of Television Centre was a part of all our childhoods in those days.
There is a nostalgic side of me that feels sad about seeing this, but its good for us I think, to just learn to watch as time moves by and things change.
In any event, very nicely photographed!
(I like how in the canteen picture, the cctv is turned inwards and down on itself, facing the wall. Like a child hiding from the destruction all around)

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 16:55 said:
  
  Thank you Peter, glad to have your thoughts. And that’s a progressive, hopeful approach to the whole thing. It’s been quite strange to watch this unfold every day, knowing there’s more to come. But obviously destruction is the worst part of the project. I hadn’t noticed the CCTV camera!
  
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First Night Design on October 7, 2015 at 08:53 said:

Makes me rather wretched. Should have been listed and used in some other way rather than be replaced by yet another complex with 0% affordable housing.

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 16:58 said:
  
  Thank you Sarah. I’m sorry it’s not a happier picture. It will get better as the build progresses.
  
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ckponderings on October 7, 2015 at 08:15 said:

Very sad, Mike, as we have said before, but you’ve captured the last, gasping breaths of TVC really well.

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- mikeosbornphoto on October 7, 2015 at 08:17 said:
  
  Thanks Richard. It’s weird watching the ‘redevelopment’ every day. This process is likely to go on for years.
  
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