{"id":12526,"date":"2026-07-01T07:33:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T06:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/videoarchive\/?p=12526"},"modified":"2026-07-01T07:34:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T06:34:38","slug":"vips-visiting-the-tv-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/videoarchive\/vips-visiting-the-tv-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"VIP’s visiting the TV Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I was going through some of the many photos that we took in the TV Studio and realised that a great number have never been seen.<\/p>\n

Because of the use that STOIC made of the studio, a great number of film and TV stars came to be interviewed. In 1982 Sir David Attenborough visited and is seen here with Lawrence Windley. We very appropriately added some plants into the set! It was also fitting that STOIC had, like the TV Studio had already done in 1980, moved into full colour only the year before. Sir David was controller of BBC2 when he moved the channel into colour in 1967 (this was discussed in the interview).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>One of the big hits for STOIC in 1977 was a visit by two people associated with the then “new” film Star Wars, Gary Kurtz was a producer and Mark Hamill the main lead. No one realised what this film was going to start in terms of franchises. He signed my autograph book with “Galactically yours…”
\nThis was also one of the many interviews that were transmitted over the old ILEA cable TV network.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Very fitting in this year of 2026 is Mel Brooks, who visited the studio in 1976. He, like David Attenborough, has just turned 100 this year. So that’s two visitors who are now in their 100th year.
\nMel was in the UK to promote his then new film Young Frankenstein. Prior to this I suspect that most people in the UK would have known him for Blazing Saddles….although we didn’t and had to find out who he was (no internet back then of course). In fact none of us knew anyone who’d seen his previous film. Looking back to that time now, it’s rather embarrassing. We now have a lot to thank the internet for.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Even former Prime Ministers graced the studio with their presence, like Sir Edward Heath. Here he is speaking with former STOIC Chairman Mike Prosser. Sir Edward was PM of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974. While at Imperial in 1980, to speak at the student’s conservative society STOIC managed to get him to agree to walk along to the studio to be interviewed by the student television for their news programme. I’m not sure whether he had former PM protection officers with him but we certainly did with the next visitor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Separate from STOIC\u00a0 and as a part of the opening period for the new University of London fibre optic system, many people were calling in to see this new wonder of communications which linked all of the major colleges in London. In 1987, the Duke of Kent was then President of the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers. He was at Imperial for an official visit with various members of the IERE and a special presentation of what became called Live-Net was arranged in the studio. In this photo the Duke is seen with Professor Ernie Freeman who had the task of overseeing the installation of Live-Net at Imperial.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>For\u00a0 the official welcome to the TV Studio, I’m seen here greeting the Duke upon arrival. Later on, after the presentation which is seen in the photograph above, I showed the Duke and other members of the IERE around the equipment that had been installed by British Telecom to facilitate the operation of the Live-Net system. I explained how we might be using the system to connect to other colleges like UCL, Kings or Royal Holloway etc. I also showed them the computer controlled booking system which allowed switching of the network for which a central switch system was installed at Senate House in central London.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The last member of the Royal Family to appear live in the TV Studio was actually HM the Queen. At 3:30am in the morning on Saturday April 1st 2000 HM the Queen made a \u2018virtual visit\u2019 to Imperial College TV Studio. Her Majesty appeared on a video conferencing link during the Royal opening of the Centre for Surgical & Medical Skills which is located in Perth at the University of Western Australia. Prof Mervyn Maze from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital was participating in a multinational effort to validate Medical Simulation as a tool for training, education and performance evaluation. As such, Prof. Maze addressed the Queen on the subject of medical simulation and it\u2019s potential in the world of medicine. If you look closely at the photograph the Queen can be seen on the screen in the top right quadrant wearing both a light blue dress and matching hat.<\/p>\n

Other famous visitors (and there were many) included:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sir Cliff Richard (Singer)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Jenny Agutter (Actress)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Magnus Pike (Scientist and TV Personality)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Peter Benchley (who wrote Jaws)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colin Grimshaw July 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many VIP’s have visited the TV Studio, ranging from film stars and former Prime Ministers to members of the royal family. 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