ITV closes Southbank studio
February 22, 2017
The London television studio of ITV is closing leading to the loss of 140 jobs.
In an email to staff announcing the move, ITV’s chief executive, Adam Crozier, said there were plans to move back to the South Bank site once it was redeveloped but there would not be a place for the studio. “We’ve given very careful consideration to what our plans mean for the London Studios (TLS), which would require significant investment to replicate within our proposed South Bank redevelopment.”
“Looking ahead, we believe that this investment would not be core to the strategic priorities of the ITV Studios business and so we’re proposing to close TLS and use studio capacity in the external market to meet our future business needs.”
The London Studios makes programmes for all the UK’s main broadcasters, including Have I Got News for You and The Graham Norton Show on the BBC, and Channel 4’s Sex Box. It also hosts ITV’s daytime programming – Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women – but these will continue to be filmed in the redeveloped HQ.