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Opening of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Bristol

18 September 1934

Gerald Durrell, holding his chimpanzee Chumley, in a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Natural History Unit programme from 1958.

The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ in Bristol opened on 18 September 1934. Two years after Broadcasting House in London opened as the first purpose built broadcast centre in the UK, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Bristol studios went live, offering speech and drama production for the west of England and national ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ radio networks.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol officially opened the Whiteladies Road studios and offices, on the 18 September 1934. The centre which included an important large space to hold an entire orchestra was one of the most modern radio centres of its day. The Second World War threw the spotlight on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ in Bristol, when the Corporation's entire Entertainment Department was billeted there.

After the war, Frank Gillard, a native of the Westcountry, and one of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s foremost war correspondents and mastermind of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ local radio, became head of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Western Region at Bristol until 1963. During his time there his plans for the foundation of local radio in the UK began to germinate, and he was also responsible for devising the sound and style for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Bristol is best known today as the home of the world-famous Natural History Unit, the Antiques Roadshow, Gardeners' World, and Countryfile amongst others. 

Further reading

September anniversaries

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