History
The original Big Brother House was built in 2000 on the land of Abbey Mills Pumping Station, a sewage pumping station in east London designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette (who just so happens to be the great-great-grandfather of Sir Peter 'Baz' Bazalgette - the TV executive often credited with being responsible for Big Brother's popularity).
In 2002, planning permission for the structure expired, so the house was re-located to Elstree Studios in Borehamwood (12 miles north of central London), where it was built on top of one of two of the studio complex's outdoor water tanks - which, almost half a century earlier in 1955, was used to shoot The Dam Busters.
Explore
In 2005, a 'Fathers4Justice' campaigner described the compound's security as "a damn sight tighter than at Buckingham Palace". In addition to this, shortly after Channel 5's acquisition of the programme, an additional fence was constructed around the compound, creating an extra-secure enclosed production village.
Despite this, with the House vacated for around two thirds of the year, I couldn't resist going for a mooch - and to both my astonishment and delight; through a perfect combination of luck, knowledge and determination - my journey wasn't a wasted one... here's the pics:
Outside
Behind the eviction area:
Eviction stage.
'Front' doors.
Side of 'other house' extension.
Loading bay/smoking area.
George Lucas stage (part of Downing Street fasçade from The Crown TV series in foreground).
'Back' door.
Camera runs
Air conditioning controls.
Production village plan.
'Other house' garden camera run:
Cables leading to loft area.
Hole in camera run wall.
Insulation.
Linen drawers.
Warning sign.
Connecting corridors.
Floor to ceiling mirror.
Bath from indoor hot tub.
Semi-demolished garden camera run.
Lit area.
Semi-dismantled area.
Props.
Rules.
'House On Camera' areas
Bathroom (now/then).
Bedding storage.
Sound cable dangling (site of Diary Room).
Door unlocked light.
Outdoor pool and hot tub (now/then).
Continued...
The original Big Brother House was built in 2000 on the land of Abbey Mills Pumping Station, a sewage pumping station in east London designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette (who just so happens to be the great-great-grandfather of Sir Peter 'Baz' Bazalgette - the TV executive often credited with being responsible for Big Brother's popularity).
In 2002, planning permission for the structure expired, so the house was re-located to Elstree Studios in Borehamwood (12 miles north of central London), where it was built on top of one of two of the studio complex's outdoor water tanks - which, almost half a century earlier in 1955, was used to shoot The Dam Busters.
Explore
In 2005, a 'Fathers4Justice' campaigner described the compound's security as "a damn sight tighter than at Buckingham Palace". In addition to this, shortly after Channel 5's acquisition of the programme, an additional fence was constructed around the compound, creating an extra-secure enclosed production village.
Despite this, with the House vacated for around two thirds of the year, I couldn't resist going for a mooch - and to both my astonishment and delight; through a perfect combination of luck, knowledge and determination - my journey wasn't a wasted one... here's the pics:
Outside
Behind the eviction area:
Eviction stage.
'Front' doors.
Side of 'other house' extension.
Loading bay/smoking area.
George Lucas stage (part of Downing Street fasçade from The Crown TV series in foreground).
'Back' door.
Camera runs
Air conditioning controls.
Production village plan.
'Other house' garden camera run:
Cables leading to loft area.
Hole in camera run wall.
Insulation.
Linen drawers.
Warning sign.
Connecting corridors.
Floor to ceiling mirror.
Bath from indoor hot tub.
Semi-demolished garden camera run.
Lit area.
Semi-dismantled area.
Props.
Rules.
'House On Camera' areas
Bathroom (now/then).
Bedding storage.
Sound cable dangling (site of Diary Room).
Door unlocked light.
Outdoor pool and hot tub (now/then).
Continued...