Broadcasting House

BBC Broadcasting House
The main entrance to Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is located in Central London
Broadcasting House
Location within Central London
Alternative namesNBH, OBH, BH, BBC Broadcasting House
General information
Architectural styleArt Deco
LocationWestminster
AddressPortland Place
Town or cityLondon[2]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51°31′6.8″N 00°8′37.8″W / 51.518556°N 0.143833°W / 51.518556; -0.143833[1]
Current tenantsBBC London
BBC Monitoring
BBC News
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 Extra
BBC Radio 6 Music
BBC World Service
BBC Television
Construction started21 November 1928
Inaugurated15 March 1932
ClientBritish Broadcasting Corporation
OwnerBritish Broadcasting Corporation
Height34 m (112 ft)
Technical details
Floor count9 above ground, 3 below ground
Design and construction
Architect(s)George Val Myer
Raymond McGrath
Civil engineerMarmaduke T. Tudsbery
Website
bbc.co.uk/broadcastinghouse
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameBroadcasting House
Designated16 January 1981
Reference no.1265570

Broadcasting House is the headquarters of the BBC, in Portland Place and Langham Place, London. The first radio broadcast from the building was made on 15 March 1932, and the building was officially opened two months later, on 15 May. The main building is in Art Deco style, with a facing of Portland stone over a steel frame. It is a Grade II* listed building and includes the BBC Radio Theatre, where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience.

As part of a major consolidation of the BBC's property portfolio in London, Broadcasting House has been extensively renovated and extended. This involved the demolition of post-war extensions on the eastern side of the building, replaced by a new wing completed in 2005. The wing was named the "John Peel Wing" in 2012, after the disc jockey. BBC London, BBC Arabic Television and BBC Persian Television are housed in the new wing, which also contains the reception area for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra (the studios themselves are in the new extension to the main building). Since February 2024 BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music have moved in, opposite the BBC Radio 1 studios on the 8th floor. This was created by converting office space, after the decision to move out of Wogan House was made.

The main building was refurbished, and an extension built to the rear. The radio stations BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC World Service transferred to refurbished studios within the building. The extension links the old building with the John Peel Wing, and includes a new combined newsroom for BBC News, with studios for the BBC News channel, BBC World News and other news programming. The move of news operations from BBC Television Centre was completed in March 2013.[3]

The official name of the building is Broadcasting House but the BBC now also uses the term “new Broadcasting House” (with a lowercase 'n') in its publicity referring to the new extension rather than the whole building, with the original building known as “old Broadcasting House”.[4]

  1. ^ "Grid Ref: TQ2888481593". OSGB. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Broadcasting House Address". Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  3. ^ "BBC News' television output moves to new studios at Broadcasting House" (Press release). BBC. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Her Majesty The Queen officially opens BBC's new Broadcasting House" (Press release). BBC. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.