UPDATE | The BBC rolled back the clock, returning its main national bulletins back to their old format on Monday.
Technical issues meant the BBC could not broadcast any of its evening national news bulletins from their new home in Studio B.
As a result, almost exactly a year after News at 10 first moved to the studio, the programme reverted back to its old look, returning to the newsroom-facing Studio E, complete with the old style BBC News red box titles and catwalk. News at Six also decamped back to its original home and former presentation style earlier in the day.
For Huw Edwards, the return to studio E also meant a return to his arm-streched opening position, once made famous by the Huws At Ten Twitter account.
Since this article was first published on Monday evening, it’s been confirmed that the fault occurred during Monday’s News at One when two of the state of the art cameras almost collided.
Studio B, formerly the home of Newsnight was given a major technical revamp last year, reported to have cost as much as £5 million in preparation for the BBC One news programmes moving across. It’s also used for Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday programme and for certain editions of BBC London News.
Studio B v Studio E
Studio B has a number of distinct presentation areas, including a curved screen catwalk from where the news hands over to the regions. There’s also the monolith style tower from where the opening headlines are usually presented. On the right of the studio, the weather screen can also be used to explain news events. The studio benefits from the latest robotic cameras running on tracks across the studio. So far, they’ve been less prone to making unexpected turns, unlike their older counterparts in Studio E, which often seemed to have a mind of their own.
The smaller Studio E features a round desk with wrap-around catwalk and screens. The studio was the home of the BBC News Channel until it was combined with the BBC’s international news service in April. Usage of Studio E has since declined. News at One was until last month the final regular programme to come from what was once the heart of BBC News.
Marc Thornham
[Images: Screenshots, BBC News at 10 19/06/2023 ]
Updated: 21/06/2023