JK
Isn't that in the basement? In the studio used now? It was all physical I think apart from the top bit. I hated that set. Particularly those monitor stacks. It stayed far too long, and seemed to start the trend of backdrops of empty newsrooms (now commonplace).
I think it was in Studio 2 between 1999 and 2004. I seem to remember they built the Theatre of News in Studio 1 and were able to give a preview of it on the last Evening News because the other new set was next door. It's been back in Studio 1 since then, I think.
I had read that they actually built the Theatre of News into Studio 2 and Studio 1 was the base for the ITV News 1999 to 2004 era.
I know when the ITV News Channel used to have to be kicked out of the main studio in 2004-2005 for ITV national news bulletins rehearsals, I remember Chris Rogers who presented on the News Channel saying to media students that the alternative studio used was Studio 1, which had a simply full green screen back drop, with nothing else, and a desk simply planted in the main set.
The look of Studio 1 on the News Channel was a decent attempt to recreate the Theatre of News but Chris said there was two key differences, the desk used in Studio 1 was much brighter and the reflection on the desk top was botched, and so unlike the Theatre of News where you could see the reflection of the news wall, in Studio 1 it was not there.
So which studio did this come from?
and how much of that was real? I'm guessing it wasn't anywhere as big in real life as it was on screen, I can't remember if it was when this set started or ended but they gave a preview of the next set on the Evening News saying from Monday we have a new look, I think it was when this set launched now I think about it.
and how much of that was real? I'm guessing it wasn't anywhere as big in real life as it was on screen, I can't remember if it was when this set started or ended but they gave a preview of the next set on the Evening News saying from Monday we have a new look, I think it was when this set launched now I think about it.
Isn't that in the basement? In the studio used now? It was all physical I think apart from the top bit. I hated that set. Particularly those monitor stacks. It stayed far too long, and seemed to start the trend of backdrops of empty newsrooms (now commonplace).
I think it was in Studio 2 between 1999 and 2004. I seem to remember they built the Theatre of News in Studio 1 and were able to give a preview of it on the last Evening News because the other new set was next door. It's been back in Studio 1 since then, I think.
I had read that they actually built the Theatre of News into Studio 2 and Studio 1 was the base for the ITV News 1999 to 2004 era.
I know when the ITV News Channel used to have to be kicked out of the main studio in 2004-2005 for ITV national news bulletins rehearsals, I remember Chris Rogers who presented on the News Channel saying to media students that the alternative studio used was Studio 1, which had a simply full green screen back drop, with nothing else, and a desk simply planted in the main set.
The look of Studio 1 on the News Channel was a decent attempt to recreate the Theatre of News but Chris said there was two key differences, the desk used in Studio 1 was much brighter and the reflection on the desk top was botched, and so unlike the Theatre of News where you could see the reflection of the news wall, in Studio 1 it was not there.
JK
Fair play to you - I always admit when I was wrong, so fair play
Think that’s cleared it up!
Fair play to you - I always admit when I was wrong, so fair play
BR
I guess they've had to continue to do this throughout the pandemic.
If the TWS/Vine set is struck and reset 5 times a week, then I'm guessing it must be fairly robust to cope with all that manhandling. HD cameras are surely a fierce critic. 
I guess they've had to continue to do this throughout the pandemic.
JK
On a side note here - When ITV News relaunched in January 2013, was there any switching of studios in the lead up to the relaunch?
I ask this, because Studio 1 as pictured with the 2009-2013 desk had a different arrangement compared to Studio 1 now.
Studio 1 now has less of a curved green backdrop, and more for a three sided green screen backdrop, with the two arrangements facing each other, ensuring the two desk areas are placed properly - larger desk for the ITV Evening News, News at Ten etc and the smaller desk for ITV Lunchtime News and ITV News London.
Arranging this surely couldn't happen over night, they must have needed a week or so to get it ready, so did the 2009-2013 desk move into a different studio on the lead up to the January 2013 relaunch? Thanks for your help.
I ask this, because Studio 1 as pictured with the 2009-2013 desk had a different arrangement compared to Studio 1 now.
Studio 1 now has less of a curved green backdrop, and more for a three sided green screen backdrop, with the two arrangements facing each other, ensuring the two desk areas are placed properly - larger desk for the ITV Evening News, News at Ten etc and the smaller desk for ITV Lunchtime News and ITV News London.
Arranging this surely couldn't happen over night, they must have needed a week or so to get it ready, so did the 2009-2013 desk move into a different studio on the lead up to the January 2013 relaunch? Thanks for your help.
IT
So they must have moved buildings during the Gulf War? The long newsflash that John Suchet did when Desert Storm started was featured in a documentary a few years ago. That looked like a pokey little studio presumably at Wells Street?
27 mins in here:
https://youtu.be/jnNOHfkNNR4
I think the move happened over Christmas 1990 - so by the outbreak of the war in January 1991 I think they were in GIR. Maybe that basic set for the open ender was somewhat makeshift before they could get Studio 3 up and running?
Even though it's so fleeting, this clip of Grays Inn Road is quite interesting - essentially even before ITN had fully moved in:
itsrobert
Founding member
Talking of Studio 3 there are some great videos on YouTube, such as the one below, of rolling coverage of the Gulf War from January 1991. They show the studio in its very earliest, quite primitive stages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVawQwf48Ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVawQwf48Ss
So they must have moved buildings during the Gulf War? The long newsflash that John Suchet did when Desert Storm started was featured in a documentary a few years ago. That looked like a pokey little studio presumably at Wells Street?
27 mins in here:
https://youtu.be/jnNOHfkNNR4
I think the move happened over Christmas 1990 - so by the outbreak of the war in January 1991 I think they were in GIR. Maybe that basic set for the open ender was somewhat makeshift before they could get Studio 3 up and running?
Even though it's so fleeting, this clip of Grays Inn Road is quite interesting - essentially even before ITN had fully moved in:
IT
Isn't that in the basement? In the studio used now? It was all physical I think apart from the top bit. I hated that set. Particularly those monitor stacks. It stayed far too long, and seemed to start the trend of backdrops of empty newsrooms (now commonplace).
I think it was in Studio 2 between 1999 and 2004. I seem to remember they built the Theatre of News in Studio 1 and were able to give a preview of it on the last Evening News because the other new set was next door. It's been back in Studio 1 since then, I think.
I had read that they actually built the Theatre of News into Studio 2 and Studio 1 was the base for the ITV News 1999 to 2004 era.
I know when the ITV News Channel used to have to be kicked out of the main studio in 2004-2005 for ITV national news bulletins rehearsals, I remember Chris Rogers who presented on the News Channel saying to media students that the alternative studio used was Studio 1, which had a simply full green screen back drop, with nothing else, and a desk simply planted in the main set.
The look of Studio 1 on the News Channel was a decent attempt to recreate the Theatre of News but Chris said there was two key differences, the desk used in Studio 1 was much brighter and the reflection on the desk top was botched, and so unlike the Theatre of News where you could see the reflection of the news wall, in Studio 1 it was not there.
Sorry, yes, you're correct. I've just checked - ITV News from 1999-2004 came from Studio 1. The Theatre of News was built in Studio 2 and the CSO News Channel studio was Studio 1.
itsrobert
Founding member
Isn't that in the basement? In the studio used now? It was all physical I think apart from the top bit. I hated that set. Particularly those monitor stacks. It stayed far too long, and seemed to start the trend of backdrops of empty newsrooms (now commonplace).
I think it was in Studio 2 between 1999 and 2004. I seem to remember they built the Theatre of News in Studio 1 and were able to give a preview of it on the last Evening News because the other new set was next door. It's been back in Studio 1 since then, I think.
I had read that they actually built the Theatre of News into Studio 2 and Studio 1 was the base for the ITV News 1999 to 2004 era.
I know when the ITV News Channel used to have to be kicked out of the main studio in 2004-2005 for ITV national news bulletins rehearsals, I remember Chris Rogers who presented on the News Channel saying to media students that the alternative studio used was Studio 1, which had a simply full green screen back drop, with nothing else, and a desk simply planted in the main set.
The look of Studio 1 on the News Channel was a decent attempt to recreate the Theatre of News but Chris said there was two key differences, the desk used in Studio 1 was much brighter and the reflection on the desk top was botched, and so unlike the Theatre of News where you could see the reflection of the news wall, in Studio 1 it was not there.
Sorry, yes, you're correct. I've just checked - ITV News from 1999-2004 came from Studio 1. The Theatre of News was built in Studio 2 and the CSO News Channel studio was Studio 1.
Last edited by itsrobert on 14 May 2020 11:45am
IT
itsrobert
Founding member
I think I might have managed to work it out now - this is an absolute minefield as both basement studios have looked so similar at various points in the past 15 years!
Studio 1:
ITV News 1999-2004
CSO studio used for Elections and News Channel back-up after 2004
5 News in 2012 (before it moved to Northern & Shell)
ITV News/London from 2013-present
Studio 2:
CSO studio used for Elections and News Channel back-up before 2004
ITV News from 2004 until 2013 (and London for a short time after it left Studio 4)
5 News from 2016-present and The Wright Stuff from 2018-present
Does that look about right? What a nightmare trying to keep track of all these studios swaps - much easier with the BBC. I've edited the photos on page 4 of this thread to now reflect the proper studio names.
Studio 1:
ITV News 1999-2004
CSO studio used for Elections and News Channel back-up after 2004
5 News in 2012 (before it moved to Northern & Shell)
ITV News/London from 2013-present
Studio 2:
CSO studio used for Elections and News Channel back-up before 2004
ITV News from 2004 until 2013 (and London for a short time after it left Studio 4)
5 News from 2016-present and The Wright Stuff from 2018-present
Does that look about right? What a nightmare trying to keep track of all these studios swaps - much easier with the BBC. I've edited the photos on page 4 of this thread to now reflect the proper studio names.
JW
ITN’s Ken Rees has died.
Saddened to hear of the death of Ken Rees, an @itn reporter of the old school. Condolences to Lynn and the family. He was a fiery operator and very many doors will have imprints of his foot, to this day. #RIP
— Alastair Stewart (@AlStewartOBE) May 14, 2020
HC
Was it the same space? If you look at 92/93 era clips it looks like the studio was on the first floor not the ground. 94 clips the studio is on the ground floor.
92
https://youtu.be/D4cMG_pIcvI
94
https://youtu.be/rgHKgmBBtr8
So those pans across the atrium. Where they done live with a PSC and tripod, or with a fixed remote pan and tilt operated in the gallery, rather like the trundlecam at BH nowadays?
Was it the same space? If you look at 92/93 era clips it looks like the studio was on the first floor not the ground. 94 clips the studio is on the ground floor.
92
https://youtu.be/D4cMG_pIcvI
94
https://youtu.be/rgHKgmBBtr8
So those pans across the atrium. Where they done live with a PSC and tripod, or with a fixed remote pan and tilt operated in the gallery, rather like the trundlecam at BH nowadays?
JW
The amended studio for News at Ten in 1995. The revised side backdrop is seen to good effect here.
NE
Was it the same space? If you look at 92/93 era clips it looks like the studio was on the first floor not the ground. 94 clips the studio is on the ground floor.
92
https://youtu.be/D4cMG_pIcvI
94
https://youtu.be/rgHKgmBBtr8
So those pans across the atrium. Where they done live with a PSC and tripod, or with a fixed remote pan and tilt operated in the gallery, rather like the trundlecam at BH nowadays?
Heavens knows. When NAT shared the studio with the EEN, they had various attempts.
NAT relaunched with Trevor in 1992 and there was this what appears to be a pre recorded pan
Then we had this version with John Suchet
And then this version which clearly used the camera used for the EEN and appears live.
Was it the same space? If you look at 92/93 era clips it looks like the studio was on the first floor not the ground. 94 clips the studio is on the ground floor.
92
https://youtu.be/D4cMG_pIcvI
94
https://youtu.be/rgHKgmBBtr8
So those pans across the atrium. Where they done live with a PSC and tripod, or with a fixed remote pan and tilt operated in the gallery, rather like the trundlecam at BH nowadays?
Heavens knows. When NAT shared the studio with the EEN, they had various attempts.
NAT relaunched with Trevor in 1992 and there was this what appears to be a pre recorded pan
Then we had this version with John Suchet
And then this version which clearly used the camera used for the EEN and appears live.