Eighty years ago today, the Lord Mayor of Bristol officially opened the BBC’s Whiteladies Road base in Bristol. Few on that date, 18 September 1934, could have seen how BBC Bristol would grow. It sits not just at the heart of a hugely creative city and the wider West but it is also the envy of the UK production sector and a world-leading brand.
Anyone like me who has spent a substantial amount of time working and living in the city knows how much Bristol has contributed to the BBC’s success and creativity - from the world famous Natural History Unit to The Antiques Roadshow, Points West to Poetry Please, Radio Bristol to Flog It - popular, authoritative and informative programmes and services that have stood the test of time.
Having worked on programmes from Nature to 999 and having commissioned the BBC's first Aardman Wallace and Gromit venture The Wrong Trousers, I am proud to be back in the city again in my role as Director, England. My aim is to ensure the BBC in Bristol builds on its unique connection with it audiences and to enable programme-making to flourish in a rich creative environment. Not just that, we want to maximise the economic and cultural benefits to the region through our partnerships with organisations across the city, from Bristol City Council, trainers of the next generation of programme makers such as UWE and University of Bristol and arts organisations as varied as the Watershed and Knowle West Media Centre.
David Attenborough presents the Natural History Unit's programme, Life in the Undergrowth
Back in 1934, the BBC in Bristol consisted of four radio studios - three for speech and drama and one big enough to hold an entire orchestra. Since then it has grown to encompass the biggest collection of natural history producers on the planet - responsible for NHU classics like Supersense and Trials of Life to this autumn's landmark David Attenborough's Life Story - plus household favourites from Gardeners’ World to Countryfile, The Hairy Bikers to DIY SOS, Farming Today to Any Questions, as well as Inside Out, Politics Show West and BBC websites for local and regional news, food, and nature. Nearly 700 brilliant programme makers responsible for thousands of broadcast hours a year.
To mark our 80th we have announced opportunities for audiences in Bristol to share our birthday at events highlighting the range of iconic programmes we have made from Whiteladies Road.
A major highlight is the exclusive screening in Bristol of Life Story, presented by Sir David Attenborough. The series itself will broadcast on BBC One this autumn but this will be its world premiere. Free tickets to this unique event are available via BBC Audience Services and will be allocated via a ballot.
John Craven reporting from the Glastonbury Festival for BBC Points West in the 1970s
Another colourful event is likely to be the opportunity to see Countryfile’s John Craven in conversation with Points West presenters David Garmston and Alex Lovell. John started his career as a Points West reporter and continues his association with Bristol as a presenter with the hugely popular BBC One series Countryfile. Tickets for this event, on Wednesday 1 October, are free of charge and are available via Eventbrite.
Before that I am delighted to have the chance to celebrate former colleague Colin Rose, one of our foremost Executive Producers, who supported so many new and upcoming producers and directors in the city for years through the Bristol BBC Animation Unit and also BBC2's strand 10x10 strand at a special Watershed event next Thursday in his honour.
The range of Bristol at 80 events - celebrating natural history landmarks, animation, features and journalism - speaks volumes for the breadth and depth of output the BBC has created from the city these past eight decades. Long may that continue.
Peter Salmon is Director, England.
- See more about the Bristol at 80 celebrations, including archive footage of Roger Bennett and Kate Adie presenting a show on the station in the 1970s, at the BBC Radio Bristol Facebook page.