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Television Centre sale draws fire from BBC stars in tribute programme Television Centre sale draws fire from BBC stars in tribute programme
(6 months later)
BBC stars past and present have hit out at the corporation's decision to sell Television Centre, with Michael Parkinson comparing it to the Royal Opera House, the former home of incoming director general Tony Hall.BBC stars past and present have hit out at the corporation's decision to sell Television Centre, with Michael Parkinson comparing it to the Royal Opera House, the former home of incoming director general Tony Hall.
David Mitchell, Victoria Coren, Penelope Keith, Danny Baker and Barry Cryer criticised the £200m sale in a BBC tribute programme, recorded in studio one of the historic west London site on Monday night.David Mitchell, Victoria Coren, Penelope Keith, Danny Baker and Barry Cryer criticised the £200m sale in a BBC tribute programme, recorded in studio one of the historic west London site on Monday night.
John Cleese, who also appeared, took issue with BBC executives who he said insisted on having a say in every aspect of a show, despite never having made a programme.John Cleese, who also appeared, took issue with BBC executives who he said insisted on having a say in every aspect of a show, despite never having made a programme.
Former chat show host Parkinson said: "We have lost an awful lot. It is as culturally significant in my view as the Royal Opera House or the National Theatre.Former chat show host Parkinson said: "We have lost an awful lot. It is as culturally significant in my view as the Royal Opera House or the National Theatre.
"If you think of what's been done here, people's memories of it, it is extraordinary that it has gone without any kind of recognition or outcry. It's irreplaceable, it is a history of our time.""If you think of what's been done here, people's memories of it, it is extraordinary that it has gone without any kind of recognition or outcry. It's irreplaceable, it is a history of our time."
The famous doughnut-shaped ring of TV Centre will be turned into apartments and a hotel, with other parts of the site to feature shops and offices.The famous doughnut-shaped ring of TV Centre will be turned into apartments and a hotel, with other parts of the site to feature shops and offices.
Danny Baker, an outspoken critic of BBC management when his afternoon radio show on BBC London was dropped last year, compared the sale to the BBC's infamous decision to record over tapes featuring thousands of hours of programmes, such as Top of the Pops, 50 years ago.Danny Baker, an outspoken critic of BBC management when his afternoon radio show on BBC London was dropped last year, compared the sale to the BBC's infamous decision to record over tapes featuring thousands of hours of programmes, such as Top of the Pops, 50 years ago.
"They say it makes financial sense to get rid of this. They said it made financial sense to get rid of all those tapes in the 60s and 70s, and we now know what a blunder that was."They say it makes financial sense to get rid of this. They said it made financial sense to get rid of all those tapes in the 60s and 70s, and we now know what a blunder that was.
"It's going to be extraordinary to people that we were just so cavalier with it.""It's going to be extraordinary to people that we were just so cavalier with it."
Baker added: "You have to believe that there is something in the bricks, in the fabric of somewhere, that really does have worth. Otherwise, the Houses of Parliament would make a great hotel. Why not sell that? They can have a conference centre.Baker added: "You have to believe that there is something in the bricks, in the fabric of somewhere, that really does have worth. Otherwise, the Houses of Parliament would make a great hotel. Why not sell that? They can have a conference centre.
"The BBC is accountable, like the government, and people hold this building as a recognisable symbol of that.""The BBC is accountable, like the government, and people hold this building as a recognisable symbol of that."
Cleese, who also appeared on the show hosted by Michael Grade, took wider aim at BBC management on his return to the studios where he made Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers.Cleese, who also appeared on the show hosted by Michael Grade, took wider aim at BBC management on his return to the studios where he made Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers.
"The people who became executives [in the 60s and 70s] had produced or directed a great deal of comedy. Now there seems to be an executive class and they have never written and never directed."The people who became executives [in the 60s and 70s] had produced or directed a great deal of comedy. Now there seems to be an executive class and they have never written and never directed.
"They seem by some mystical process to understand comedy much better than the people ... And now want to know exactly what is going to be in every programme so that they can say that won't work. On the basis of what?""They seem by some mystical process to understand comedy much better than the people ... And now want to know exactly what is going to be in every programme so that they can say that won't work. On the basis of what?"
Former Good Life star Penelope Keith said the BBC's entertainment and drama departments had been left bereft by the TV Centre sell-off.Former Good Life star Penelope Keith said the BBC's entertainment and drama departments had been left bereft by the TV Centre sell-off.
"The BBC has this vast edifice that is the news and we've got sport, religion and children's [programming] in Salford. Where does what happened here go? It hasn't got a home – we are orphans.""The BBC has this vast edifice that is the news and we've got sport, religion and children's [programming] in Salford. Where does what happened here go? It hasn't got a home – we are orphans."
Victoria Coren, presenter of BBC4's Only Connect who made a film about the site for the BBC tribute, said staff had taken so many souvenirs there was very little of it left.Victoria Coren, presenter of BBC4's Only Connect who made a film about the site for the BBC tribute, said staff had taken so many souvenirs there was very little of it left.
"It was very difficult finding places to film that looked like the BBC because it was all being stolen day by day, hour by hour. People that worked in the BBC were just nicking signs, doorknobs and bits of carpet."It was very difficult finding places to film that looked like the BBC because it was all being stolen day by day, hour by hour. People that worked in the BBC were just nicking signs, doorknobs and bits of carpet.
"I came to hope that it was a coherent gang that was going to rebuild it somewhere else. The building lives, it is an emblem, all over the country people know we have this free broadcaster.""I came to hope that it was a coherent gang that was going to rebuild it somewhere else. The building lives, it is an emblem, all over the country people know we have this free broadcaster."
Comedian David Mitchell also mourned its departure. "It's a television factory. It's not the same when studios are fitted around the country or around London. You are not bringing creative people to the same place, nothing random or unusual is going to spark off."Comedian David Mitchell also mourned its departure. "It's a television factory. It's not the same when studios are fitted around the country or around London. You are not bringing creative people to the same place, nothing random or unusual is going to spark off."
It was left to Sir David Attenborough, a BBC presenter for 60 years and former corporation executive, to make the case for change.It was left to Sir David Attenborough, a BBC presenter for 60 years and former corporation executive, to make the case for change.
"We are going to lose something, but it's worthwhile thinking about what the world was like when this place was being designed and built," he told the studio audience."We are going to lose something, but it's worthwhile thinking about what the world was like when this place was being designed and built," he told the studio audience.
"Then television was a mystique, very few people understood it and cameras were huge. You couldn't go out and just make television, it was a specialised thing. If you wanted to see it done, this is the place you went, and I would like to think we did it as well as anybody in the world."Then television was a mystique, very few people understood it and cameras were huge. You couldn't go out and just make television, it was a specialised thing. If you wanted to see it done, this is the place you went, and I would like to think we did it as well as anybody in the world.
"But now television has changed, we can all do television. You can go and buy home videos and its good stuff, it's fine, television has changed and you have to recognise that.""But now television has changed, we can all do television. You can go and buy home videos and its good stuff, it's fine, television has changed and you have to recognise that."
• Goodbye Television Centre will broadcast on BBC4 at 8.30pm on Friday 22 March• Goodbye Television Centre will broadcast on BBC4 at 8.30pm on Friday 22 March
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