Skip to main content

QUEEN OFFICIALLY OPENS BBC'S HQ

The Queen has officially opened the BBC's rebuilt Broadcasting House, creating a memorable TV moment when she appeared behind the newsreaders on air.
She had earlier made a live broadcast on BBC Radio 4, in which she said it was a "great pleasure" to see the BBC's new central London headquarters.frankibe.blogspot.com
During a tour of the building, she met many of the BBC's biggest names.
The Duke of Edinburgh had also been expected to attend, but was admitted to hospital on Thursday for an operation.
Crowds gathered outside the building, which flew the Royal Standard, to await the arrival of the Queen, who wore a powder blue coat and hat.
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and BBC director general Tony Hall met the Queen and escorted her on the first part of her visit.
She started the tour, her first visit to the corporation's recently expanded headquarters, by visiting BBC Radio 1 and meeting presenters including Nick Grimshaw, Trevor Nelson and Sara Cox.
She then visited the station's famous Live Lounge to watch a live performance by The Script, whose lead singer is Danny O'Donoghue, also well-known as a judge on BBC One show The Voice.

Her next destination was the building's third floor, where Fran Unsworth, the BBC's acting director of news, introduced her to several BBC Radio 4 staff, including Today presenter John Humphrys.
Mr Humphrys asked her how the Duke of Edinburgh was, adding "he was looking well yesterday".
The Queen replied: "That's because he's not ill."
The duke went to hospital straight after a Buckingham Palace garden party on Thursday afternoon and will undergo an exploratory operation on his abdomen.

The guided tour took her to look through the glass during a News Channel broadcast. Staff laughed and broke into a round of applause as she appeared in the background of the studio shot, prompting newreaders Julian Worricker and Sophie Long to turn round.
After leaving the basement-level newsroom, the Queen met stars including David Dimbleby and Strictly Come Dancing trio Sir Bruce Forsyth, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in the ground-floor reception.
In the building's Media Cafe, which is normally open to the public but was closed for the duration of the visit, she was introduced to newsreader Fiona Bruce, Radio 1 DJ Greg James and actress Anne Reid.
At the end of her visit, the Queen unveiled a plaque marking the occasion at a reception attended by BBC staff, presenters and trustees.
Before the plaque was unveiled, Lord Patten wished the Duke of Edinburgh a quick recovery from his operation.
He said it was a "particular privilege" to welcome the Queen to Broadcasting House.
The Queen had previously visited Broadcasting House on five previous occasions but those were all before the BBC's extensive project to overhaul, modernise and expand the building to accommodate staff being moved from Television Centre, which closed in March.
The building is now home to more than 30 domestic and World Service radio stations, three 24-hour TV news channels, all of the BBC's main news bulletins and is the workplace for 6,000 BBC staff from the BBC's television, radio, news and online services.

Popular posts from this blog

G8 Northern Ireland summit: Syria set to top agenda

Cannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version David Cameron and Vladimir Putin disagree on Syria but aim to build on "common ground" Continue reading the main story Syria conflict Behind the battle lines The city that died Who is arming whom? Guide to conflict The leaders of the G8 nations are to begin a summit in Northern Ireland, with Syria's conflict set to dominate. UK PM David Cameron met Russian leader Vladimir Putin - Syria's key ally - on Sunday. They will each hold separate talks with President Barack Obama, who has indicated he will arm the rebels. Mr Cameron, the host, is also keen to focus on global economic issues. He hopes to oversee the launch of talks for an EU-US free trade deal and achieve ...
Read more

Who is to blame for the rise of ISIL?

(FRANKS..)   n this Head to Head  special from Washington DC, Mehdi Hasan challenges retired Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn, on the rise of ISIL, the War on Terror, torture, and how to deal with Iran. Flynn was the former head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and a commander of J-SOC, the ghost military unit whose squads hunted Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan all the way to Osama Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. With no panel or audience, we ask him whether the US is to blame for creating ISIL and whether the War on Terror has become a crusade. We also discuss torture in US bases and why he is opposed to a deal with Iran.    Follow us on:   Facebook and @AJHeadtoHead  Is the US to blame for ISIL? with Michael T. Flynn will be broadcast on Friday July 31 at 2000 GMT,  and will be repeated on Saturday August 1 at 1200 GMT, Saturday August 2 at 0100 GMT and Monday August 3 at 0600 GMT. Head to Head   is Al Jazeer...
Read more

Chibok abductions: Will Nigerian schoolgirls ever be freed?

(FRANKS..) Continue reading the main story Nigeria abductions Politics and parents Malala's appeal Hostage negotiations Military failings Six months since militant Islamist group Boko Haram sparked global outrage by abducting more than 200 girls from Chibok town in north-eastern Nigeria, the government has still failed to secure their release. The BBC's Will Ross spoke to the parents of some of the girls about their ordeal. In the remote farming community of Chibok, the agony is only getting worse. The parents and other relatives of the missing 219 school girls complain that they have been left to rely on a diet of rumour from the media and a long list of unfulfilled promises from the politicians. "The government must do more to get the girls back. Some parents are already dying. About six women have g...
Read more