The Manchester Studios
| Granada Studios | |
|---|---|
| The Old Granada Studios | |
Granada House with the original two-storey studios in the foreground. The broadcasting tower and the red Granada TV logo on Granada House have since been removed
|
|
| Former names | The Manchester Studios Granada (1956–71) |
| Alternative names | The Manchester Studios 3SixtyMedia Studios |
| General information | |
| Type | Former Television studios (Granada) |
| Location | Manchester, United Kingdom |
| Address |
Quay Street Manchester M60 9EA |
| Coordinates | 53.478958, -2.254783 |
| Construction started | 1954 |
| Completed | 1962 |
| Inaugurated | 3 May 1956 (first broadcast) |
| Renovated | 1987 (for Granada Studios Tour) 2006 (to Bonded Warehouse) |
| Closed | June 2013 |
| Renovation cost | £3m (1987) |
| Owner | 3SixtyMedia (80% ITV Studios and 20% BBC Resources) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ralph Tubbs |
| Other designers | Sidney Bernstein |
Coordinates: 53°28′44″N 2°15′21″W / 53.478879°N 2.255808°W
Granada Studios (also known as Quay Street Studios and affectionately as Granadaland) were television studios on Quay Street in Manchester with the facility to broadcast live and film drama programmes. They were the headquarters of Granada Television and later ITV Granada between 1956 and 2013. At the time of their closure, the studios were the oldest operating purpose-built television studios in the United Kingdom.
The studios were home to the world's longest-running serial drama, Coronation Street, and other long-running shows such as the quiz show University Challenge and the current affairs documentary series World in Action. Firsts at the studios include The Beatles' first television performance in 1962 and the first general election debate in 2010.
Until 2010 the main building, Granada House, had a red neon "Granada TV" sign on the roof, which was a landmark for rail passengers travelling from the west into Manchester city centre. A decorative broadcasting tower was erected at the behest of Sidney Bernstein to give the studios an embellished and professional appearance. At its top, this tower had an enclosed, steerable, microwave dish which, pre-satellite, provided line of sight outside broadcast links to the company's 'Eagle Tower' vehicles. There were three main studios, each covering over 4,500 square feet (420 m2).
The studios were owned by ITV Studios and BBC Resources through a joint venture company, 3SixtyMedia. After a dip in production during the early 2000s, the studios underwent a revival from 2009 until their closure. Countdown moved to Manchester from the Leeds Studios in 2009. Programmes such as John Bishop's Britain, The Chase, Divided, Take Me Out and High Stakes were recorded here and the studios hosted the first ever General Election debate in April 2010.
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