Wood Green Studio
Have a peep around ATV’s London studio in 1958


Wood Green Empire, first built in 1912 as a twice-nightly variety theatre, took on a new lease of life in 1955 when Associated Television converted it into one of the busiest of the television studios.
Since September 1955, thousands of people have stepped through the Empire’s doors to watch some of the most popular A.T.V. programmes presented at Wood Green. “Val Parnell’s Saturday Spectacular,” “Free Speech,” “The Carroll Levis Show,” “Val Parnell’s Startime,” are just a few of the programmes originating from the old Empire.
The Theatre has always had a busy, bustling show-business life. In 1930 it changed over to films, but was converted back to variety in 1936. Then, in January 1955, the Empire was closed as a live Theatre, and taken over by Associated Television in May 1955. On to the empty stage marched an army of carpenters, builders, painters, fitters and electricians. By September, their jobs were completed and the Empire was ready for “Channel 9”, the first programme on the air for Independent Television which was transmitted on September 23rd 1955, from this studio. [This sentence appears to be completely inaccurate in every regard – Ed]
The Theatre still has its bevy of “stage door johnnies,” but now they are in the modern garb of the autograph hunters and fan club leaders.









About the author
A theatre programme-style booklet given to audience members attending ATV productions in 1958
…isn’t it now the site of a Building Society branch….I have a distant memory of seeing a plaque on a Halifax branch in the eighties…?
Great article…!
A picture there of The Carpenters, though I’m having trouble working out which one is Karen……