BBC North

January – December 2011

Firs
t Ch
ristm
as
✔2011 Next

Welcome to the 2011
BBC North Scrapbook.
What a year. It’s hard to believe twelve months
ago our buildings were empty and now they’re
buzzing with nearly two thousand staff working
together, making programmes and creating a
BBC for the future. By Easter we will be 2,300
strong here, including BBC Breakfast.
This is the year the project and all its ambitions became a reality and we started
to make a real difference for our audiences in the North of England.
High energy highlights range from Frankenstein's Wedding – Live in Leeds, with
over 12,000 gothic guests to Lady Gaga's tens thousands of fans bopping away in
Carlisle, from Strictly Come Dancing's gyrations in Blackpool to Children In Need
Rocks Manchester – we’ve invested in content and events right across the North,
as this Scrapbook illustrates. I am very proud that new dramas set in Liverpool
and Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle and Bolton are all in the pipeline too.
JOURNEY
We have enjoyed welcoming thousands of local people to our new home at
Salford Quays too. From ground-breaking collaborations at the BBC Philharmonic
Presents and the Manchester International Festival, to delighting hundreds of
youngsters at BBC Children's Playtime on the Piazza and right now, Celebrate
Sport. There's something very satisfying about beginning to deliver on our
promise to audiences to be as open and accessible as possible.
A lot of this is about talent and jobs too – great people making wonderful
content or building new technologies. So, Jesting About has been discovering
new entertainers on Tyneside, loads of them. For the BBC's Research and
Development team based in Salford, it's about working with the region's
universities on ground-breaking new technology. And at a fundamental level it is
also training and developing up to 100 new apprentices and young ambassadors –
all fresh to the media – giving them the experience and the skills and the jobs
so that our very workforce itself reflects the North better.
All this is just the tip of the iceberg. Take ten minutes out, grab a mince pie,
and reflect on 2011. It’s been a strong start.
Peter
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 14,000
5
Over the summer Over Songs of Praise celebrates

3,326,336
unique browsers
visited the CBBC
68,000
applications on the BBC
people applied for tickets for years
of programming

40
the first of BBC Learning’s
the number of
people who came to
Shaun the Sheep’s
homepage North Jobs website Deadly Days Out
th
20,000
5,000
applications for tickets

2,000 'Champion-
sheeps Live’
for Playtime on the Piazza
Anniversary

0
of Question

2 0
gothic wedding guests
12,000 at Frankenstein’s Wedding...
Live in Leeds
200
people came to
the crowd who watched Justin
Fletcher with Rastamouse at
of Sport
Playtime on the Piazza
children
20
BarCamp MediaCityUK
Almost

150k 40,000
from the North West and

Entertainment North to
turnaround a documentary for
Yorkshire who created a live
the number of days it took bulletin from MediaCityUK
for BBC News School
Report Day
2,000staff now the Sport Kicker Fund
attended Radio 1’s Big Weekend
in Carlisle whilst
BBC Two about Elizabeth Taylor working on the
MediaCityUK
amount for 3 x 30
minute documentaries 1.9 million the height of the

5000
site watched live on BBC Three

the peak audience 700 high wire Blue Peter’s

Helen Skelton walked

the crowd who

watched…at Playtime on
8.1 who watched
Murray go through
to the second
Salford and Trafford
people visited
our buildings on the
Salford
Sitcom
80
6
submissions

sitcoms 25 hours
for Sport Relief

million week at Wimbledon Outreach Open Day

the Piazza in Salford’ Showcase 3 nights how long Radio Manchester

3 8 1
Series of CBBC’s Tracy young ambassadors broadcast rolling coverage
who started work at commission of the Manchester Riots

2,300
Beaker filmed in Newcastle
BBC North

people attended the 5 live

Grand National audience shows
at Aintree, including the biggest
ever Fighting Talk broadcast in
front of a live audience at the
Liverpool Empire Theatre
1,4 47 10 mill on
the number of years the number of people who watched, listened
footy mad local people
BBC Children’s was at TVC or downloaded something from the BBC
came to Extra Time
before it moved to Salford Philharmonic Presents festival
at the Cliff

Previous Now check out what happened this year...

 JOURNEY Happy 4th Birthday to the Pie Factory!

y South Riding on BBC One

It’s our year of deliver

January ...MediaCityUK here w

e come!
Drama Production North
treats us to a portrait
of a Yorkshire community
Daytime drama
in the Thirties
in Liverpool
Moving On, an LA
Production for BBC One,
starts filming in Liverpool New commission for @North
Nations and
Regions Numiko in Leeds start work on
Conference a
t the the GrownUps section of the
Bring me Su Lowry Centr
e
nshine! CBeebies website
Victoria Wo
od’s biopic,
Eric and Ern
ie, draws
an audience
of 6.6million Question of Sport at
on BBC Tw
o on the MediaCityUK Studios:
New Year’s
Day Hot Shoes 5
the first in-house
launches with
show to be made at

February
nine dazzling
placements MediaCityUK
s Mr Bloom’s Nurs
Hitting our screens...singing vegetable ery
and some seriously good drama. broadcasts on th
e Rachel Burden
CBeebies chann
el becomes Nicky Campbell’s
and Sheffield-b
ased new co-presenter
company The W on 5 live Breakfast
orkshop
deliver the webs
ite
as part of @Nort BBC Sport North
h
Kicker Fund announced
Previous next
March
JOURNEY Blue Peter’s
Helen Skelto
n
breaks a new
Drama, comedy and
hire wire rec
record breaking! ord
for Comic R
elief
a n ’ s h our
Wom s p ecial
e l i e f
Comic R o
BBC School Report Day
f i r s t l ive radi ...1st major OB from
The f r o m the
a s t MediaCityUK
broadc K S tudios
it y U
MediaC Children from the North West
and Yorkshire produce a live
bulletin from the site

Frankenstein’s Wedding
...Live in Leeds
BBC North Development and Events
Manchester Drama
& BBC Wales produce an for Daytime
award-winning re-imagining of
Mary Shelley’s masterpiece 32 Brinkburn Street is
broadcast live on BBC Three broadcast on BBC One

Nick Park and Victoria Wood

return to their native Lancashire
for the Developing Talent
Conference at UCLan
Songs of Praise School
Choirs Competition at
Sheffield City Hall
Previous next
 JOURNEY BBC North
back United
Spring ma
has sprung! The BBC Two dra
h East is
filmed in the Nort
shadows
premiered in the
oup of Old Trafford
The Farm Gr
s t - p roduction Dame Elizabeth
awa r d e d p o Taylor
n t r a c t in B B C buildings - A Tribute
co Manchester En
tertainment
produce a docu
mentary for
BBC Two on th
e life of the sta
r

5 live at Aintree
vide
The station pro
ge
fantastic covera
ational
of the Grand N
articipation
with audience p
iverpool
events across L

1 C C c e le b r a te the
Script to 2
Screen o y a l W e d d in g...
BBC Le
R
arning in ation
primary vites ...with an anim
school a te d b y c h il d ren from
children cre
to write K
very ow their across the U
n Docto
r Who next
mini-adv
enture Previous
 JOURNEY Carlisle goes Gaga for Radio 1’s big weekend

May The wait is over...our first

move in and what a month
teams
it is!

The Phil
il
blaze the tra
ir s t u p t o m ove, it’s the
F
o their fab
orchestra int
studio
custom-built Learning win a
Big Splash for
Webby for E20!
Triumph at BBC Sport
Sport launch their
Sony Radio Awards
nationwide
5 live scoop six swimming campaign
golds and Radio 4's
Jenni Murray honoured
with the Annual Gold Award Success at the BAFTAS
BBC Sport and
Eric and Ernie win awards

A hat-trick of sports in Manchester

Keeping our audience informed
BBC Sport cover the Great Manchester run,
We launch our BBC North
Great Salford Swim and Great City Games
website and Twitter
Previous next
 JOURNEY
Our very own
in the Studios... li c e W e b b b e comes
We st ar t to ge t b u sy A
g
Chief Operatin
Officer of
BBC North
BBC
Philharmonic
Presents...
13 concerts
Awards a go go
over 17 days BBC North scoops a
on 8 radio whole host of gongs at
the RTS Yorkshire and
stations
Broadcast Digital Awards
including Best Live Event
for Frankenstein's Wedding.
A trip down memory lane
Auntie’s Northern Soul is
Hello Justin!
broadcast on BBC One
Justin Time, the
new show
from Justin Fletc
Wimbledon finals in 3D her,
becomes the firs
t CBeebies
for the first time! show to be made
at the
MediaCityUK Stu
dios

Blue Peter goes

hula hoop mad ...And Manchester-made Mr Bloom
’s Nursery
series!
And breaks a world gets re-commissioned for a second
record at their last
challenge in TVC Previous next
 JOURNEY
Dragons’ Den goes
back to school

July
Students from Sunderland, Bolton,
Lincoln and Bradford attend a
The return of a very special festival... special screening at MediaCityUK
to find out who won their pitch...
ational Fe stival
BBC North and Manchester Intern
the
Groundbreaking collaborations on hes
city... BBC R&D launc
MediaCityUK Piazza and across the the Audio Rese
arch Series 9 of Drago
ns’
h five Den launches...
Partnership wit
Music Boxes universities
With new Dragon
Hilary
A melodic adventure for little ’uns Devey from Bolto
n...
through a mini city of shipping watch out!
containers on the Piazza

BBC Research & Development

collaborate with magneticNorth... Radio Manchester First Upfr
ont
...And create 'Maestro’, an interactive
deliver live coverage from Salf
every evening from ord
installation that lets kids conduct the The BBC
staff indu
the Festival Pavilion
BBC Philharmonic at Music Boxes moves to ction
Young ambassadors MediaCity
UK
Dr Dee - start at BBC North
Sacred S Eight 16-19 year olds from the local
The BBC Philharmonic join an ites community start work at MediaCityUK
outstanding cast of musicians Broadcas
t on R
for this modern English opera, a five intern adio 3,
ational
performe
world premiere by Damon Albarn rs of sacr
ed
song perf
orm in an Evan Davis records the
eclectic m
ix of venu Today Show from the
lysium
Crash of the E across th es
e city MediaCityUK Studios
s forces with
Doctor Who join
tre company
immersive thea
Punchdrunk to
deliver a specta
cular
. Previous next
r 6-12 year olds
live adventure fo
 JOURNEY Results in the R
AJARS
rive, D
BBC Philharmonic
at the Proms
teners to 5 live’s
An increase in lis elagh Fogarty,

August
ar d B ac o n , S h
Rich ws
-hitting docos d Breakfast sho
Events, awards and hard D e rby sh ir e an
Victoria

Our Regional News

teams pull out all the stop CBBC drama in Bo
s
to deliver up-to-the-minut lton
e Brand new children’
coverage of the Manches s show,
ter The 4 O'Clock Club,
and Salford riots starts production in
Manchester

Playtime on the Piazza

BBC Learning is record breaking! Young fans flock to the MediaCityUK Piazza
Tate Movie Project’s film 'Itch of the over the Bank Holiday weekend for a special
Golden Nit’ sets world record for most CBeebies’ 'Justin Live’ show and CBBC’s
individual contributions to an animated film Shaun the Sheep 'Championsheeps Live’

5 live’s Cancer Trials -

Behind the scenes
at The Christie
A hard-hitting two part
documentary made by
live
Blakeway North for 5
through BBC North’s
Creative Kicker Fund
Previous next
 JOURNEY Tony Livesey becomes
the first 5 live show to

Se pt e m be r broadcast from Salford

Our first live broadcast!

n-ups A Salford SPOTY
The new Grow Football icon Sir Bobby Ch
website for drops by for the announce
arlton

e e b ie s la u n c h es! ment
CB that SPOTY will come fro
m the
Studios at MediaCityUK
Designed by
umiko
Leeds-based N
K
BarCamp MediaCityU
orth
as part of @N
A weekend of sport
in the North East a meeting
Future Media organise
BBC North A standing ovation
of minds from across
The BBC brings live coverage
of the Great City Games and for the Phil
Great North Run from Tyneside The BBC Philharmon
ic open
their Bridgewater Hal
l season with
Blue Peter’s first Pedal for an outstanding perfor
Mahler’s Second Sym
mance of
phony
broadcast lands in style Pudsey (‘The Resurrection’),
with new
Chief Conductor, Juan
An epic cycle from jo Mena
An action packed entrance to their
new studio from presenters Helen Manchester to London
Skelton and Barney Harwood raises over £25k for
Children in Need
CBBC and CBeebies
Farewell Gordon unveil their new home
After 15 years on the show, to young fans
Gordon Burns bows out of
North West Tonight
Previous next
 JOURNEY Our new
neighbours

October
BBC Learning marks its
move North with a series
Salford Uni
of exciting events opens its doors
Extra Time The BBC and Mancheser United foundat
ion presents: Build A Rocket Boys!
at The Cliff Extra Time Elbow at Manchester Cath
at the Cliff Game, Set, Match!
edral
and on the BBC Big Scre
Famous faces and Radio 2 come to town fo
en –
mily a
activities for all the fa BBC Sport announce r a very
er 10am - 4pm
Saturday 8th Octobradio
special homecoming gig
at Manchester United’
s three year extension to
drama, Keep uppy
Come along and: Make your own
Meet Fred the Red!
challenge, animal animation and

the Wimbledon rights

yours, please call
This is a free ticketed event. To get

former training ground

c.co.uk/tickets
0370 901 1227 or log onto www.bb

Planet Dinosaur on tour

BBC Learning’s tour hits
the Manchester Musuem

Happy 50th Birthday

Songs of Praise! Let the A fangtastic launch
g!
Peoples Sin 400 CBBC fans enjoy a
3 hosts the special Halloween screening
BBC Radio al
in a l o f th e internation of Young Dracula in Liverpool
Over 200 staff including Grand F
a m ateur choirs
ti o n fo r
Helen Skelton and Gordon competi UK
at MediaCity
Burns get local people online

ove
Comedy Commission from News on the m
the Salford Sitcom Showcase n c h e s te r b ro a dcast live all
Radio Ma
y fr o m M a n c h ester to Salford
A three night whirlwind of fresh comedy in the the wa
Studios resulting in a commission for Citizen Khan Previous next
 6Music rock the Dock
JOURNEY Radcliffe & Maconie cut the
The first Y
oung
r
tape for 6Music at ‘MegaCity’ Ambassad
N o v e m be A legendary month! followed by Marc Riley…
and all without a hitch! newsletter
ors

Children In Need rocked launches

Day Manchester & Salford!
Match of the
asting
starts broadc
BBC North staff – with their
bike-riding, beard-growing, flashmob
f r o m S a lf o rd on “What first attracted
live –dancing, cake-baking, hair-dyeing,

BBC One an
d Two sheep-rolling enthusiasm – raised you to the millionaire
over £48,000 for Pudsey! Paul Daniels?”
‘TV Greats: Our Favourites
From The North’ airs on
BBC Two and celebrates
Goodbye the great content made at
BBC Manchester
Oxford Road
North West Tonight
at
turn the lights out on ‘th
e grey slab of concrete we
Meanwhile down the road at th
d used to call home’
Arena, a star-studded bill wowe
e
the crowds all for a good caus us
Funny gets serio
ut 2
ph with Jesting Abo The new BBC
BBC Children’s trium Six Nations Rugby
… The search for co
medy talent homepage launches…
at the BAFTAS Now to 2017 in the North Eas
t continues
and becomes Future Media’s
sweep the
CBBC and CBeebies BBC Sport secure first major launch from Salford
ards including a new deal
board winning ten aw
Channel of the Year
for CBeebies!
Previous next
 JOURNEY
Lost Christmas
December
It’s beginning to look
hester,
Filmed in Manc
a lot like Christmas… rs in
Eddie Izzard sta
drama
CBBC’s family
for BBC One

Strictly
SPOTY and Celebrate Sport Cinderella
mark their CBeebies coll
Sports Personality of the Year aborate
acked two with Strictly fo
arrival in Salford with an action-p star-studded C
ra
eractive
weeks of shows, events and int Beebies panto
C’s biggest
sessions from some of the BB
dience much
sporting names, offering our au
more than just the TV show. Now it’s really
Oh Come Christmas…
All Ye Fa hester
The BBC Philharmonic, Manc
ithf ul United Foundation Youth Ch
oir and
Helen Ske
lton, Barn eir hearts
a host of ey Skelto
n, the BBC North Choir sing th
local scho dio
and the B o l c hildren out to a packed Studio for Ra
BC North dcast
welcome
Xmas to M
choir Manchester’s Christmas broa
ediaCityU
live from K
Strictly final at
the Studio
s
Look out for big Yorkshire
Blackpool Tower! dramas in the New Year!’

The show’s finale foxtrots to

the spiritual home of ballroom
Previous next
 JOURNEY
So far so good. We have laid the foundations. Now to make
the best of this amazing new opportunity for the BBC here.

There's been a lot of upheaval for everyone and change

will be an on-going part of our lives. Over the next decade, though
we have some shorter term and tough financial savings to make,
the number of people working for the BBC in the North of
England will have trebled. And our investment in this part of
England in these tough times will increase substantially too.

The teams who have got us here have been heroic – hard working
and passionate about doing great things with this extraordinary
opportunity. So, a huge thank you to everyone – and to so many
in the North who have made us so welcome. It's been a
memorable year and there is much to come.

e t e r S a l m on
P If you’re able to take a break this Christmas, get a well-earned
rest, and for those working, we all appreciate your on-going
BBC North vision: dedication and support. click
Inspired by the north of England,
to bring groundbreaking ideas and click
Take a moment to watch Watch
outstanding creativity to everyone BBC N
our short film, ‘BBC North – Live & orth –
Kicking
Live & Kicking’, celebrating
BBC North mission:
this year’s achievements cli
To innovate, inspire, surprise: ck
click
always looking beyond tomorrow
Happy Christmas, Peter

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