Step Inside the Legendary TV Studios Where Your Favorite Shows Came to Life!

Fans of classic TV shows like Holby City, The Muppet Show, Top of the Pops, and Grange Hill can now explore the studios where these programs were filmed, even though the buildings have been demolished. Thanks to a special project, an online virtual tour of the former BBC Elstree Centre is now available. This tour was created by Howard Berry and his team from the University of Hertfordshire, who used a 360-degree camera to capture more than 400 panoramic images of the studios before they were torn down.

The virtual tour allows users to move around the old TV studios and see them from different angles. You can visit the main stages where the shows were recorded, walk through the dressing rooms, and even sit in the audience seats where people once watched their favorite stars perform. The tour also includes behind-the-scenes areas like production offices, technical rooms filled with computer equipment, and the corridors that were once busy with actors and crew. The images show the studios as they looked just before demolition, with some rooms still containing debris from the final days.

Howard Berry, who has been documenting the history of Elstree for 16 years, said that capturing the studios in this way was a first for British television. He explained that The Muppet Show, one of the most famous programs filmed at Elstree, is often thought to have been made in America, but it was actually produced in Borehamwood, England. Many famous guests traveled from around the world to appear on the show. Berry shared the virtual tour with people who worked on these shows, including Dave Goelz, the performer behind Gonzo from The Muppet Show. Goelz was moved to see the studios again, saying it brought back many memories.

The BBC Elstree Centre has a long history, opening as a film studio in 1914. Part of the site is still used for the soap opera EastEnders, but the rest is being redeveloped into new facilities called Fairbanks Studios. The new studios are expected to open in late 2027 and will be used for high-end TV and independent film production. The virtual tour gives fans a chance to remember the past and see where some of their favorite shows were made, even as the site prepares for a new future.