Gravity Media and VERSA Studios have delivered the successful relocation of Morning Live, moving the BBC One magazine programme from London to the new VERSA ABC Studio in Manchester.
Produced by BBC Studios, the daytime show launched on 21st February from the new rooftop studios at the ABC Building in Manchester’s Quay Street. It featured Sam Quek, Kimberley Walsh and Sara Cox, who joined Kym Marsh and Gethin Jones as permanent presenters this series.
Continuing its expansion in Manchester, Gravity Media worked closely with VERSA Studios who won the bid to deliver the show from the new location. Gravity was appointed to provide systems integration, technical equipment supply and rental for both the studio and wraparound edit and ingest with ongoing engineering support. The two companies turned around the system engineering in just under two months to create the five-camera studio, with the potential for an eight-camera set-up in the future.
The wider spec included a Calrec Artemis sound desk, Ross Ultrix router, EVS Cerebrum control system, Reidel Comms with Bolero wireless belt packs, EVS XT3 with IP gateway and self-contained Avid Edit.
Charlie Ingall, executive director of VERSA Studios, said: “With such a fast turnaround on the technical specification we decided the best way to create and deliver this brand new state-of-the-art broadcast studio facility was by way of a one-stop shop with Gravity Media as our chosen equipment supplier, systems integrator and engineering support.
“We formed a good working relationship with Gravity from our VERSA Studios London operation through equipment rental and are delighted to have expanded to more of a supply partnership with Gravity Media.”
Ed Tischler, MD of Gravity Media, EMEA, added: “The expansion of our existing Gravity Media Manchester Production Centre and Rental Operation is a timely and proud moment for the business, and means we are best placed to support with complex live broadcast facilities and production services across the north of England.
“The Gravity Media team have done an extremely impressive job working closely with VERSA Studios to facilitate this studios relocation with all systems integration and full engineering support in such a condensed time frame. We look forward to working closely on more such interview and entertainment formats with our dedicated Gravity Media North team.”
