The British Broadcasting Corporation was founded in 1922 and has since grown to become the largest broadcasting organisation on the planet.
Funded by licence payers, the BBC produces thousands of hours of radio and television every year, and now also enjoys a considerable web presence, with the iPlayer revolutionising the way we watch television today.
The quality of its programming is respected the world over, and this is reflected in the revenue it generates from sales of shows to other countries. Last year over 40,000 hours of TV programming were exported to all corners of the globe.
Without Auntie Beeb, our funny bones would never have been tickled by the likes of Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses, Monty Python and The Office; we'd never have had the chance to witness the stunning visuals of David Attenborough's natural wonders such as Planet Earth and The Blue Planet; and we'd never have been driven mad by the rambling diatribes of Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson.
A tour of its main building, BBC TV Centre in Wood Lane, gives visitors a chance to peek behind the scenes of this much-loved institution and take a closer look at the world of broadcasting.
Tours last between 90 minutes and two hours and include a look at the BBC newsroom, a visit to the studios where some of the aforementioned comedies (among other shows) were made, and also a chance to go inside the green room and dressing rooms where legends of the entertainment world put on their garb before hitting the studio floor.
There's also a chance to enjoy lots of BBC memorabilia from over the years, and if you're lucky, you might even get the chance to read the news or do the weather (unfortunately you will not be broadcast to the nation while doing so).
Bear in mind that TV Centre is a very busy place, so the tour itinerary is not set in stone. But that's part of the fun – you never quite know what you're going to get; and you never quite know who you might see wandering along a corridor.....
The tour aims to be - like the BBC remit itself - educational, informative and entertaining.
Remember that you'll need to
book in advance.
