Bill Owen MBE, 1914 - 1999.
BBC and the Heritage Foundation
Site: 24 plaques at BBC Television Centre (24 memorials)
W12, Wood Lane, BBC Television Centre - Star Terrace
The plaque on the brick wall in the picture reads: The BBC Star Terrace, "Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love" Sylvie Dee.
Dee wrote the words to the Morecambe and Wise theme song. Eric and Ernie are two of the 24 names commemorated here on plaques installed by the Heritage Foundation in cooperation with the BBC. The plaques, distributed randomly across this terrace, form part of the audience engagement while waiting to enter TV studios. Originally a history trail was planned at BBC TV Centre featuring major talent both in front of and behind camera but this was not pursued once it was clear that TVC would close. Each plaque carries an image of clapping hands - a celebration of the links between audience and BBC talent. As of 2012 the building is up for sale.
We are grateful to Alison Kelly at the BBC who give us access to photograph the plaques and provided the information above.
The BBC announced that they were selling the building and in 2012 we learnt the plans for the memorials from the Blue Peter Garden - a move to Salford. 2013 the BBC moved out of the building; it was redeveloped and the BBC partially moved back c.2017. We had feared that these plaques would be lost but, 2019, Paul Burton reported that he's heard they are still there.
