Alan Coleman's Autobiography

[Maria No. 1.]

Sounds like Alan was getting a little confused then thinking the studios were shutting for good in 1988.

[Heathbury The First]

True - but the soap experts were in Brum - doing nothing after Crossroads finished I guess - and 150 epsiodes (or longer) is a tie - takes up studio space in the state of the art Lenton Lane complex. Birmingham was ( I suppose) partially built with "a soap" in mind.

Interesting that in the press release from Carlton in 2000 they stress the point that a soap is the only strand of programming never to have been made at Lenton Lane.

Is there a website out there that lists the productions made in Birmingham?

Anyway - sorry "Alan Coleman" fans for taking this thread off course.

[Maria No. 1.]

No not all all HTB, it was just following on from what I had said about Alan's journey to Broad St in 1988.  So not off topic at all.

[Mike of CAS]

I guess that Family Pride the local Central and Channel 4 soap was made at Broad Street as well then.

There is a list of Elstree programmes on Elstree Calling. I have some IBA-ATV paperwork in the files I can no doubt come up with a list. It is noted that right up until 1978 ATV Centre was seen as a 'regional production centre' mainly 'biast to the West Midlands'.

Well as its based in the West Midlands that seems about right. The IBA also note after 1978 the ATV Production of East Midland content programming is increased (they ignore this in 1980 of course) but network programmes remain with children's and serial.

The IBA also  had a fit when they found out that ATV Tower (as it was originally called) was built as ATV's new HQ and it wasn't used as ATV's HQ at all - all the offices remained at Elstree.

ATV to put that right moved ATV Sport and Bill Ward to the Midlands. Not that Mr Ward was too keen. But the network programming was (and I have the exact figures somewhere) it was around 40% of hours from Birmingham (Tiswas / Crossroads making up most of that percentage) and 60% from Elstree.

Anyway ATV Centre, Studio 2 (the second biggest) I can see wouldn't be in need of any use after 1988, Studio 1 would be hard enough to keep busy. I take it Bullseye left for Nottingham in 1991. And in 1989-1991 there were some Blockbusters made at Birmingham. Boon started in Birmingham (the original photo shoots are outside ATV Centre/Alpha Tower) and later moved to Central Nottingham. This was also promoted with a press photo of Michael Elphick sitting on the motorbike in front of a roadsign pointing to Nottingham. There after I guess the network programmes ended.

[Mike of CAS]

Thinking on, its interesting Alan speaks of Lew's studios. Lew hated Birmingham! (Which is unfortunate for all those who have a soft spot for ATV Centre. - Its Elstree that was his love. He disliked Birmingham so much he wanted them to relocate and build the new TV Centre in Coventry - covered elsewhere on this forum.)