With the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother coming to an end and the new series of Dancing on Ice hot on its heels, Suruchi Sharma looks at how television has developed at Borehamwood’s Elstree Studios.

Although Elstree Studios will always be known for its blockbuster films, it has been bolstered over the years by its many television programmes.

As well as being home to Big Brother and Dancing on Ice, the studios in Shenley Road houses the quiz show WhoWants to be a Millionaire? and gameshow Are You Smarter Than a Ten-Year-Old?

TV shows filmed at Elstree Studios in the Fifties, or programmes that were in some way produced on site, included Tales From Dickens, Glencannon and Dial 999. In the Sixties came The Avengers and The Saint, which both appeared a decade later under the labels The New Avengers and Return of the Saint.

Managing director Roger Morris, who joined the studios in December, said television is not something new to the studios.

He said: “Right now the studios is home to three of the most popular shows on British television. “Even though it’s one of the most famous studios in the world for film productions such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Shining and Superman, the studios is also synonymous with famous television productions such as The Saint, Randall and Hopkirk, Drop the Dead Donkey and The Avengers.

“Elstree is also synonymous for dramas such as Tom Jones for the BBC and Wuthering Heights for ITV plus children’s programmes such as The Tweenies and The Hoobs.”

Author and Borehamwood & Elstree Times blogger Paul Burton said: “There are a lot more reality and quiz shows now where there used to be a great number of sitcoms back in the Sixties.

“It is dependent on the fashion at the time and it seems the types of shows filmed there now are reality or audience participation shows.”

Mr Burton is a fan of Millionaire and Big Brother but also of programmes that featured at the studios 40 years ago, including Randall and Hopkirk Deceased, the Champions and The Avengers.

“They all still have a great following and are still very popular with people of all ages,” he said.

“I’m sure people in the area remember these very high profile television programmes with fondness.”

Mr Burton believes there is a healthy mix of television and film at the studios.

“Television shows are the meat and gravy of the studios as they keep things busy all year round.”

He said when there is a television show filmed at the studios the hits on his website, Elstree Calling, increase as people want to know about the area when they visit to see the shows.

He said: “You have to think how great it is that through these shows it raises the profile and brings attention and income to the area. It is the best publicity the area could ever have.”