Built in 1903 and designed by Frank Matcham, the BBC occupied the building for nearly 40 years from 1953 to 1991. It was near to its Lime Grove Studios and a short distance from the building site on Wood Lane that would one day become Television Centre.
Work was slow on Television Centre and the recently-closed Empire theatre offered producers a purpose-built theatre with existing seating, making it ideal for large studio-based music and variety shows.
Initially, the venue was used as if it was an outside broadcast, with cameras feeding back to a scanner van.
As the site proved popular, the BBC refitted it with a larger stage and permanent television production galleries. The venue was a mecca for the stars of the 1960s, and the BBC featured Lulu, Shirley Bassey and Cilla Black in a variety of sparkling shows.
It was upgraded to colour from 1968-69 and throughout the 1970s and 1980s was the recording venue for some fondly-remembered shows such as The Generation Game and Terry Wogan‘s eponymous chat show Wogan.
Terry Wogan presented the last show there in July 1991.
