History
When LWT succeeded ATV for the London weekend ITV franchise in 1968, it bought Associated-Rediffusion's old studios at Wembley (now known as The Fountain Studios). These studios were originally film studios and dated back from the 1920s. Although successfully converted for TV in the 1950s, the new LWT wanted its own, new, modern studios and so designs were soon drawn up.
The site for the development was chosen beside the new Royal National Theatre on the South Bank of the River Thames. It was purchased in 1969 and construction work, awarded to Higgs and Hill, commenced in 1970 with the centre opening for transmission in 1972, although it was not fully operational until 1974. It was originally called The South Bank Television Centre (a name that lasted until the early 1990s) and at the time was the most advanced television centre in Europe.
On 28 January 2013 ITV plc bought The London Studios, its own headquarters, for £56 million.
Read more about this topic: The London Studios
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