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Television Centre welcomes back audiences

First facilitation of a studio audience at one of BBC Studioworks’ three facilities since Covid-19 lockdown measures were implemented earlier this year

Audiences have returned to Studioworks’ Television Centre studios for the first time since lockdown, all be it in a significantly reduced capacity.

The BBC’s QI has been filming in BBC Studioworks’ 10,800 sq.ft. Studio TC1. Last night’s taping saw the reintroduction of a small studio audience, comprising 40 people spread across TC1’s 600-person audience rostra. This was the first facilitation of a studio audience at one of BBC Studioworks’ three facilities since Covid-19 lockdown measures were implemented earlier this year.

Studioworks has introduced a number of protocols in place to handle the return of audiences, including social distancing, mandatory temperature cheeks with thermal cameras before entry, the installation of hand sanitising stations in the outside queuing area and by the studio doors, floor markings and physical barriers laid out to highlight where the audience must stand whilst queuing.

The audience during the filming of QI

The audience’s entry and departure of the studio is staggered and when entering they are shown to their seats in their specific groups, seats which are not to be occupied are clearly marked. The studio seating design has been carefully planned in line with government guidelines, including 2 metre distancing between crew and audience seating and the wearing of face masks for all audience members is mandatory. 

We are following government guidelines to the letter and are taking all of the necessary steps to ensure that the return of audiences to our studios is managed safely”, said John O’Callaghan, head of studios and post production, BBC Studioworks. “We are currently having conversations with our other clients who are also keen to reinstate studio audiences to their productions, but all decisions will be made in adherence to our safety protocols.”