Upper Boat Studios

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Upper Boat Studios
Rhondda Cynon Taf UK location map.svg
Turquoise pog.svg
Location within Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
General information
StatusUsed as warehousing
Type Television studio [1] [2]
Architectural style Modern
AddressUnit 1/2, Tonteg Road, Treforest Industrial Estate, Upper Boat, Pontypridd, CF37 5UA
Country Wales, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°34′33″N3°18′00″W / 51.57583°N 3.30000°W / 51.57583; -3.30000 (Upper Boat Studios) Coordinates: 51°34′33″N3°18′00″W / 51.57583°N 3.30000°W / 51.57583; -3.30000 (Upper Boat Studios)
Current tenantsNone
Opened27 July 2006;16 years ago (2006-07-27) [2] [3]
Client BBC Wales [3]
Grounds86,000  sq ft (7,990  m2) [3]
Known forFilming of Doctor Who [1] [2] [3]

Upper Boat Studios was a television studio complex leased to the BBC in mid-2006, [1] and formerly operated by BBC Wales. [3]

Contents

It is located in Upper Boat, [2] a village on the outskirts of Pontypridd, [3] Rhondda Cynon Taf, near Cardiff in Wales. The studios, previously a seat belt manufacturing factory for the automotive industry, [1] were officially opened on 27 July 2006;16 years ago, by Welsh Enterprise Minister Andrew Davies, [2] [3] for the purpose of producing Doctor Who , along with its related spin-off programmes. [2] [3]

Facilities

At ten times larger than BBC Wales existing site at Llandaff, the Doctor Who residency at Upper Boat Studios included the use of its six sound stages. [1] Other facilities at Upper Boat included a large props store, workshops, and video editing suites. [1]

History

By 2011, Doctor Who was the only programme still based at Upper Boat, following the move of several BBC Wales productions to the new permanent home at the new Roath Lock studios. Doctor Who itself relocated to Roath Lock throughout 2012, [1] with the last filming day at Upper Boat on 11 May 2012. [4] [ unreliable source? ]

Despite the studio closure, production on Sherlock series 3 continued at the studios [1] until September 2013. [5] [ unreliable source? ]

Productions

Productions based at Upper Boat Studios

TitleGenreNo. of
episodes
Produced
from
Notes
Doctor Who [1] [3] Science fiction drama 662006–2012 [1]
Doctor Who Confidential 'Making-of' documentary 602006–2011
  • moved from Unit Q2 in Newport
The Sarah Jane Adventures [1] Science fiction children's drama 532006–2010
  • entire series produced at Upper Boat Studios [1]
Torchwood [1] [3] Science fiction drama 312006–2008
Torchwood Declassified 'Making-of' documentary 272006–2008
  • moved to Los Angeles
Totally Doctor Who Children's magazine programme 122007
Sherlock [7] Crime drama 9 + pilot2009–2013
Sarah Jane's Alien Files Children's compilation programme 62010
  • entire series produced at Upper Boat Studios

Productions partially filmed at Upper Boat Studios

TitleGenreNo. of
episodes
Produced
from
Notes
Upstairs Downstairs Costume drama 32010

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Current BBC production studios outside London > Roath Lock - Cardiff". TVStudioHistory.co.uk. Martin Kempton - History of British television studios. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "BBC Studios". DoctorWhoLocations.net. Doctor Who Locations Guide. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Nick Dermody (27 July 2006). "Time Lord handed permanent home". BBC.co.uk. BBC Wales at BBC News . Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  4. "Last day of Doctor Who filming at Upper Boat..." Edward Russell. Twitter. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  5. "Still at Upper Boat Studios". Sherlockology. Twitter. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  6. "Work starts on BBC Wales drama village in Cardiff Bay". BBC.co.uk. BBC News. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  7. 1 2 Maggie Brown (3 December 2010). "Upstairs, Downstairs: the return of a classic". TheStage.co.uk. The Stage, The Stage Media Company Limited. Retrieved 30 May 2017.