The “Evening Standard”  on Tuesday 8 December 2015 reported that the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (formerly the BBC TV Theatre (formerly the Shepherd’s Bush Empire)) was shut the previous Friday night after a last-minute “formal” health and safety inspection.  "…They checked a problem and it was a lot worse than first thought….”

The 2,000-capacity Grade II-listed hall is now closed for the rest of the year.

Geoff Hawkes

I just knew that all those kids shouting “Crackerjack!” at the tops of their voices would have an impact eventually…

John Howell (Hibou)

No no no, it was the weight of the ‘Apple & Biscuit’ mic hanging from the dome for all those years!

Or maybe Kenny Clare’s drumming!

Pat Heigham

Quite possibly!

I remember, vaguely, on Crew 3 in the nineteen-sixties, which tended to live almost permanently in TVT, being conducted up to the (outside) roof, and back in again somehow, to check the cable and mic of the 4021 (Ball/Apple + Biscuit) dangling from the ceiling.

Was this intended for general communication with the gallery, or as an overall audience reaction mic?

I suppose that after the Apollo theatre ceiling collapse, ‘elf and safety are rather more mindful of patrons’ safety, or the need to avoid expensive damage suits.

John Howell (Hibou), Dave Plowman

I knew it only as an audience mic, it added a nice ‘weight’ to applause, I think it would have been a bit ‘naf’ for communications being unmanned and not close to anyone in particular (except the man on the mole when craned up and tracked out!).

It was mainly for applause. Known as a ‘high and wide’ elsewhere.

Chris Booth

Back in the late 1980s when I was ‘serving’ on the LE savings Cobham committee, the late Mike Jones made a suggestion that, perhaps, we should move “Sky at Night” to the TV Theatre as at least the viewers could see the night sky through the holes in the roof!

Prophetic.

Tony Crake

I seem to remember a happening at TVT in 1960s or 1970s where people working on the RHS side of stage were splashed with molten lead.

I recall small burn marks on the boom platform!   Some roofing contractors had not gone through the approved safety checks!

Nobody actually hurt?

Dave Plowman

Interesting. There was a great deal of reinforcement in the way of steel beams etc put in when the proscenium arch was removed, and the new wing added.

Dick Blencowe

I remember the Theatre being closed for a time in the 1980s when some of the plaster work over the Pros Arch came down. The "London Fibrous Ceiling Company" were called in to sort it out.

I also remember going up on the roof to inspect the glass dome.  To get to the roof one had to go up to the Gods which still had the original benches and was full of pigeon droppings. From there,  there was a vertical ladder up to a door leading out to the roof.

The dome was originally designed to be opened by pushing it aside on wheels running along a track on the roof. The idea was that it would be a primitive form of air conditioning. I am sure that the tracks were still there but to weather proof the edges it had been sealed and as far as I know never worked in the BBC era.

Dave Howell

I vaguely remember the fracas when the Queen Mum arrived at TVT wearing a Fur coat being booed by Animal Rights Campaigners. This taunting could be heard during the recording of the show inside TVT through the roof.

Subsequently contractors were employed to ‘sound proof’ the dome!

I cannot remember what the show was though.

Dick Blencowe

I don’t remember the Queen Mum incident but do recall that the sound proofing at TVT was somewhat lacking, especially when an ambulance or fire engine passed by with its siren sounding. I don’t remember any attempt to sound proof the dome but if it was it didn’t seem to work!

Alan Stokes

I can certainly remember the rain coming through.  I also remember the WCs being refurbished for a visit by HRH and Consort. All that money and they didn’t even use them!

Bernie Newnham

I remember how we dared each other to go and look in the Queen’s new loo before she got there. We obviously didn’t know how the ladies looked before the refit, but when we did look it was all indirect lighting and pink tinted mirrors. And as Alan says she didn’t go near it. I don’t think they refitted the men’s though.

Ian Hillson

Maybe if she had used the loo there it would have warranted a plaque, and maybe conducted tours.  So two opportunities missed!