Virtual tour lets fans revisit demolished BBC studios where Muppet Show was made

The BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, was a historic film and television studio complex that operated for over a century. It opened in 1914 as a film studio and later became a major BBC production hub, hosting iconic shows such as Holby City, Top of the Pops, The Muppet Show, and Grange Hill. The site was partially redeveloped, and the former Fairbanks Building and Neptune House were demolished to make way for a new campus for high-end TV and independent film production, expected to be operational in late 2027.

Before demolition, a project led by Howard Berry, who has run The Elstree Project for 16 years, captured the buildings in a virtual tour. Berry and a crew of 12 from the University of Hertfordshire used a 360-degree camera to take over 400 panoramic images, creating what Berry believes is the first immersive capture of a British film or television studio complex of its kind. The tour shows the studios, dressing rooms, production offices, galleries, engineering and mixing rooms, as they appeared after asbestos surveys and intrusive checks, just before demolition.

The virtual tour has been shared with industry figures, including Dave Goelz, the performer of Gonzo from The Muppet Show, who was emotional about seeing spaces he worked in and never thought he would see again. Berry highlighted that The Muppet Show, often thought to be filmed in America, was actually made in Borehamwood, and that the biggest stars flew on Concorde to appear on it. The tour provides a personal connection to the history of television production, allowing fans to explore the spaces where beloved shows were made.