Background

The theatre was built in 1975 in the grounds of Guy’s hospital near London Bridge station and was  largely paid for by a benefactor – Sir James Mantle Greenwood (1902-1969), chairman of James Greenwood Advertising Ltd. The building was (initially) designed as a lecture theatre.

The BBC moved into the theatre in 1979.  The first programme was made there on 23rd September 1979. 

Mike Jordan

The BBC moved in while TV Theatre was being re-furbished.

Peter Neill

I spent a very long time at the PA desk at the Greenwood.

For a long time the schedule was:

	Tuesday	Russell Harty (the Thursday show came from Manchester)
	Wednesday	Parkinson (The Saturday show came from TC)
	Thursday	Question Time
	Friday	Friday Night, Saturday Morning.

Mondays were often unused, but I remember a series called “Private Lives”, a chat show with actress Maria Aitken interviewing her luvvie friends who brought along items of memorabilia.

Other shows included “Face The Music” – and the first series of “Blackadder“ was played to an audience there to record a laugh track.

It wasn’t an OB set-up although originally the engineers and I think CCUs were in an old scanner parked outside, but over the years more and more became permanently installed.

John Vincent

I had the shot of Grace Jones hitting Russell Harty at the Greenwood.

I also remember a certain Producer banning the crew from the Green Room.  A separate hospitality area was put on for us plebs. The Turns used to come to ours because the official one was boring!

I also worked on a Roland Rat series there.

Warwick Cross

“Question Time” was definitely there -..  I produced special opening titles for the 100^th edition and they were played out from the Greenwood.

Another regular production was “Friday Night . . Saturday Morning”  which came out of the Pres Programmes “Late Night Line-Up” stable – produced by Frances Whittacre.  Different presenter every week.

Roger Bunce

I have very fond memories of the Greenwood Theatre, and the nurses’ swimming pool under Guy’s Hospital. “Question Time” with an ancient spring ped at the back, “Friday Night, Saturday Morning”, “Russell Harty’” etc. No one has yet mentioned one of the real delights of the Greenwood – those wonderful Mad-Ladies, who ran the canteen/tea bar, before BBC Catering took over. They served an all-day ‘Breakfast with Chips’, and pronounced the word ‘Pizza’ as it is spelled – ‘Pizzer’.

Sound Control Room

Bernie Newham

I directed a series called “Star Memories” there. It was immediately after the "only two showings" rule went away – handbagged by Margaret Thatcher I think. We had famous people – Michael Parkinson, Lenny Henry, Fulton Mackay, Su Pollard and others  – asking for clips that had been locked away for ever.   Common enough stuff these days, … but very much a first then.

Ian Norman

I worked on several shows at Greenwood.“Choices” (1982 series with Libby Purves)“Question Time”“Friday night, Saturday morning”“Parkinson” (I have this on video).I can’t remember anything about the following ones, but they’re in my diary.“G.L.C. Forum” (01/04/1981)“Top Secret “(20/10/1982)“Paul Gambaccini” (21/10/1982)“Delaney” (19/11/1982)

Mike Cotton

Standard “Question Time” at the Greenwood Theatre , standard couple of pints at supper time, back in good time for the recording only to hear " we can’t get a recording machine, keep the audience happy"
 An hour and a half later the recording started and luckily there were no hitches.

The loo –  Bliss