BBC Studioworks has welcomed back a host of shows across its facilities as it helps productions return post the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Whilst remaining operational throughout lockdown across its Television Centre and BBC Elstree Centre sites, activity is now continuing apace across its portfolio.
At Television Centre, the third series of ‘There’s Something About Movies’ is currently being recorded in Studio TC1 at Television Centre. The joint production between CPL Productions and Motion Content Group for Sky One, sees Alan Carr return as host with Jennifer Saunders and Michael Sheen also returning as team captains. Guests lined up to put their movie knowledge to the test include Stephen Graham, Gemma Arterton, Joanna Lumley, Nick Frost and Phil Wang.
A League of Their Own – Jamie Redknapp and Romesh Ranganathan
Over at its Elstree Studios hub, BBC Studioworks is gearing up to commence the recording of the 15th series of BAFTA-winning A League of Their Own in George Lucas Stage 2. Also a CPL Productions show for Sky One, the programme will see regulars Jamie Redknapp, Freddie Flintoff and Romesh Ranganathan battle against each other in complex and highly unusual physical challenges. This marks A League of Their Own’s 13th consecutive residency with BBC Studioworks.
Both shows are returning without a live audience for the first time, but will still include fan-favourite challenges throughout.
The shows are running alongside a packed schedule of Good Morning Britain, This Morning, Loose Women, Peston, The Martin Lewis Money Show and Sunday Brunch at BBC Studioworks’ Television Centre facility. At its BBC Elstree Centre hub, filming has just concluded on Monkey Kingdom’s Comedy Game Night for Comedy Central and Channel 5 in Studio D, whilst EastEnders resumed recording in late June. July culminates with the 2020 Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards’ live broadcast from Studio TC1 at Television Centre on Friday 31 July.
The cast of Comedy Game Night in Studio D
BBC Studioworks provides a range of technical crews and services to each production, including scenic, electrical and engineering staff and post production staff for EastEnders. A suite of key Covid-19 safety measures are in place across BBC Studioworks’ three facilities including mandatory temperature checks, screen dividers in all galleries, UVC cleaning, one-way pedestrian routes and dedicated operating protocol documents specific to each site.
“We’re delighted to be back across all our facilities doing what we do best – helping production companies make stand-out TV content, but in the safest possible way,” said Meryl McLaren, Commercial Manager, BBC Studioworks. “Remaining operational throughout the peak of the pandemic really helped us hone our health and safety protocols and work with our clients on perfecting the best solutions. We continue to discover innovative ways of working and pushing the boundaries of facilitating entertaining TV.”
