O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
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| Former names | Shepherd's Bush Empire (1903–53; 1994–2009) BBC Television Theatre (1953–94) |
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| Address |
Shepherd's Bush Green London, W12 United Kingdom |
| Public transit |
 Shepherd's Bush  Shepherd's Bush
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| Owner | Academy Music Group |
| Operator | Academy Music Group |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 17 August 1903 |
| Renovated | 1993 |
| Architect | Frank Matcham |
| Project manager | Oswald Stoll |
| Website | |
| o2shepherdsbushempire |
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Shepherd's Bush Empire (currently known as O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire for sponsorship reasons, and formerly called BBC Television Theatre) is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London, run by the Academy Music Group. It was built in 1903 as a music hall and in 1953 became the BBC Television Theatre. Since 1994, it has operated as a music venue. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Shepherd's Bush Empire was built in 1903 for impresario Oswald Stoll, designed by theatre architect Frank Matcham. Ashly's Circus performed at Shepherd's Bush Empire and presented to George Strong a trophy for riding The Bucking Mule "Sloper' on 8 September 1905. The first performers at the new theatre were The Fred Karno Troupe including Charlie Chaplin (1906). The Empire staged music-hall entertainments, such as variety performances and revues, until the early 1950s, by which time the popularity of these forms of entertainment was declining.
During World War II, the Shepherd's Bush Empire narrowly escaped being hit by a flying bomb, which in 1944 hit the neighbouring Shepherd’s Bush Pavilion, destroying the original interior. The Pavilion did not re-open until 1955.
In 1953, the Empire was sold to the BBC, which put it to use as a television studio–theatre, renaming it the BBC Television Theatre. Among the programmes produced there were Crackerjack, The Old Grey Whistle Test, That's Life!, The Generation Game, Juke Box Jury, This Is Your Life, Jim'll Fix It, most of the BBC's light entertainment music shows, such as those starring Cliff Richard, Lulu, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, Shirley Bassey, Vera Lynn, Harry Secombe, Petula Clark, as well as the UK's Eurovision Song Contest preliminary heat, A Song For Europe. In 1985, the theatre was turned over for exclusive use by Wogan, which was broadcast three nights a week from the theatre.
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