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EyeSpy: Farewell Birmingham’s ATV Centre

EyeSpy: Farewell Birmingham’s ATV Centre

ATV Centre Entrance

In a video to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of ATV Network pioneer Noele Gordon, the demise of Studio One is recorded with one last performance.

The video, uploaded yesterday by the official Central TV (part of the regional ITV network) Crossroads Fan Club, sees Noele give one last ‘Goodbye’ to Studio One at the ATV Centre in Birmingham – which is currently being demolished for a new retail and office development. The studios opened in 1969, with Crossroads the first programme produced in Studio One. Noele Gordon, who died aged 65 in 1985, starred as the show’s leading lady Meg Richardson. Set in the fictional village of Kings Oak Crossroads was described by one newspaper as being “like Coronation Street but in the more sophisticated setting of a Modern Motel.

Crossroads is currently being repeated on West Midlands local TV service Big Centre Television. Viewers outside of the area can watch the show live online or via the catch up service.

Other programmes made at the studios include game shows Bullseye and The Golden Shot, drama Boon, children’s series’ Tingha and Tucker and Tiswas and there was wit with satirical puppet show Spitting Image. The studios were also home to Children’s ITV for many years. There were also some episodes of Les Dennis hosted Family Fortunes and Bob Holness fronted Blockbusters produced at the centre, although their regular homes were over at Central Studios in Nottingham. ATV Centre became home to Central Television in 1982 and later Carlton Broadcasting. Also Sky News Midlands and ITN used its city centre facilities. The studios were closed in late 1997 with Central Jobfinder and Central News being the last programmes made at the studios.

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