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BBC Children in Need returns to Elstree and Albert Square

BBC Studios and Post Production is providing studio facilities and full post production services from Elstree for the annual BBC Children in Need Appeal show.

BBC Studios and Post Production is providing studio facilities and full post production services from Elstree for the annual BBC Children in Need Appeal show. The glittering night will be broadcast live from Elstree Studio D today in front of an audience of 500, as well as from Albert Square, the home of EastEnders. Hosted by Sir Terry Wogan, Tess Daly, Fearne Cotton, Nick Grimshaw and new host The Saturdays singer and presenter Rochelle Humes, the night will feature an array of stars and show-stopping performances, including One Direction and the reunion of S Club 7. Together they will help raise money for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK.

To support the fast-turnaround workflow demands a live seven-hour entertainment programme of this scale brings, BBC Studios and Post Production’s 11,800 sqft Elstree Studio D and its post production edit and multiplex area are being fully utilised. In Studio D, there will be two main stages with large LED screens. About 25 cameras will capture the action in the studio, as well as in the Queen Vic and on the EastEnders lot, including Sony 1500 and 300 cameras, a Technocrane, a Jib and hand held cameras. To ensure clear communications between production staff, studio areas, outside broadcast and post production operations, a Riedel comms system has been installed.

To handle the multiple live feeds coming into the multiplex from the nations and regions on the day of the live show, EVS XT3s and Avid Airspeed servers will record content onto an ISIS 5000 for use in the edits. While the show is on air, BBC Studios and Post Production will cut highlights packages from the live feeds to make a highlights montage for broadcast during the show’s marathon run, giving viewers progress on fundraising and regional stories.

In the run-up to the live show, four online Avid Symphony edit suites will cut material shot during the week of transmission, including the Strictly Come Dancing children’s special. Featuring the return of Sir Bruce Forsyth, to host alongside Tess Daly, the special performance from the Strictly dance floor at the Elstree Studios George Lucas Stage features four talented young ballroom champions. In a Strictly first, alongside professional dancers, they’ll dance head-to-head in a bid to win the Pudsey glitterball trophy. Audio for any late delivery VTs will be handled by a Pro Tools 10 dubbing suite that will mix and record voiceovers of the various celebrities on site.

Once the extravaganza has ended, BBC Studios and Post Production’s work continues into the night with the turnaround of an hour-long highlights programme for delivery and broadcast on BBC One the next evening.

Paul Wright, BBC executive producer, said: “BBC Children in Need is one of the biggest nights of the year on British television that millions of people enjoy. I’m very proud of the spectacular line-up we’ve brought together and they are all taking part for one special reason – to raise money for disadvantaged children throughout the UK. It’s going to be a great night!”

David Conway, managing director of BBC Studios and Post Production, added: “Following the success of last year’s record breaking appeal, we’re delighted to welcome back BBC Children in Need to Elstree. Our studios and post production teams will be pulling out all the stops to ensure another spectacular fundraising event.”

BBC Children in Need will air on BBC One today, starting with The One Show’s Children in Need special at 7pm.

www.bbcstudiosandpostproduction.com