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91Èȱ¬ Broadcasting House welcomes Her Majesty The Queen
Her Majesty The Queen will
visit 91Èȱ¬ Broadcasting House on Thursday 20 April 2006 to mark
the 80th anniversary of the granting of the Corporation's Royal Charter.
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The Queen will officially re-open the original Broadcasting
House in Portland Place, London, which has recently been refurbished as a part
of a redevelopment of the site.
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The Queen's schedule is as follows:
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Upon
arrival at Broadcasting House, The Queen will meet the Director-General
of the 91Èȱ¬, Mark Thompson, and the following 91Èȱ¬ Radio breakfast presenters:
- Radio 1 - Chris Moyles
- Radio 2 - Sir Terry Wogan KBE
- Radio 3 - Penny Gore
- Radio 4 - John Humphrys and James Naughtie
- Five Live - Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty
- 1Xtra - Jason and Iyare
- Asian Network - Sonia Deol
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The
Queen will be shown a model outlining building project plans for Broadcasting
House by Sir Richard MacCormac, Architect, and the 91Èȱ¬'s Chief
Operating Officer,
John Smith, and will view a display of digital radio technology
and Broadcasting House artefacts.
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The digital radio technology consists of:
- A DAB digital radio featuring an electronic programme
guide (EPG)
- A wi-fi radio, which can pick up, via wireless broadband,
internet radio stations around the world including all the 91Èȱ¬'s
national stations
- A plasma TV screen with a Freeview box, displaying
the 91Èȱ¬'s 24/7 radio service via digital TV
- A laptop computer
demonstrating listening to radio via the internet on the 91Èȱ¬
Radio Player
- Mobile devices capable of receiving radio services,
ie iPod featuring a selection of the 91Èȱ¬'s podcasts and
a new mobile telephone with DAB radio access
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The Broadcasting House artefacts consist of:
- A 'royal' microphone used by King
George V for Christmas
broadcasts in the Thirties
- A specially created version of a high quality
radio set made by McMichael, the electronics manufacturer,
and presented to King George V. The model was subsequently known
to the public as the 'King's Radio.'
- A cigar box in the form of Broadcasting
House presented to Lord Reith on his 10th anniversary
as Manager/Director-General of the British Broadcasting Company/Corporation.
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The
Queen will then watch a production for 91Èȱ¬
7's
The Big Toe Radio Show.
The Queen will meet presenters Kirsten
O'Brien and Kevin Duala and young competition
winners in the Drama studio.
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The Queen will view a recording for Radio 4's Woman's
Hour and meet presenter
Jenni Murray, programme engineers and interviewees Dr
Sarah Childs from Bristol University and Dr
Rosie Campbell from Birkbeck College,
London.
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Dr Childs and Dr Campbell will be discussing the results
of a Woman's Hour/ICM survey looking at the changing role of men
and women in society. Ìý
The Queen
will then join a reception hosted by the Chairman, 91Èȱ¬ Governors, Executive Board
members, senior 91Èȱ¬ executives and artists associated with 91Èȱ¬ Radio, including:
Chris Evans, Sir Clement Freud, Richard
Briers CBE, David Jacobs CBE, Paul
Merton,
Nicholas Parsons OBE, Prunella
Scales CBE and Timothy West CBE.
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The Queen will receive a gift and unveil a plaque before
departing.
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As she leaves from 91Èȱ¬ Broadcasting House, The Queen
will meet local schoolchildren who will have gathered to wish her
a happy birthday.
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On being told they would be introduced to The Queen, some 91Èȱ¬ radio presenters made the following comments:
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Radio 2's Terry Wogan said:
"The last time we met I had to tape back my somewhat large ears lest she'd have
one of them off with the sword. Luckily she wields the blade like an expert and
I got away with just a flesh wound."
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Penny Gore, from Radio 3, said: "Well, since I'll have
got up at 4.45am that morning to get ready for presenting Morning
on Three,
I think it would be safer if I stuck to a small bow rather than
bending the knee... I don't want to risk any dizzy spells due
to low blood-sugar if I attempt the full curtsy!"
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Nicky Campbell, from Five Live, said: "The last time we met was when she
saw round my school in the early Seventies so we have loads of catching up to
do."
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Shelagh Fogarty, from Five Live, said: "I'll happily
curtsy for any 80-year-old lady who wants me to, especially on her
birthday!"
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Sonia Deol, from the Asian Network, said:
"Yes I will curtsy because it's the done thing with Royalty isn't it? But I haven't got a clue how to do it elegantly. In Birmingham we don't have much call for this sort of thing."
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1Xtra's Jason & Iyare said:
"Our mums would be proud, all we've got to do is remember not to curtsy because
that's for girls."
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91Èȱ¬ Press Office
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Notes to Editors
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Phill Jupitus, 6
Music's breakfast presenter, is on
holiday so will be unable to be presented to The Queen. Ìý
The Queen has visited Broadcasting House on four previous occasions:
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13 March 1939
The Queen toured Broadcasting House whilst
still Princess Elizabeth, with King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess
Margaret.
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27 February 1953
The Queen visited
Broadcasting House with the Duke of Edinburgh and watched a variety
show put on in their honour. They also watched programmes and rehearsals
at the 91Èȱ¬ studios in Maida Vale.
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1 November 1972
The
Queen visited the 91Èȱ¬'s 50th Anniversary Exhibition. The
exhibition itself was across the road at the Langham Hotel, but The Queen
had lunch with the Governors in Broadcasting House.
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20
October 1997
The Queen opened
the 91Èȱ¬ Experience, an interactive exhibition to celebrate the
91Èȱ¬'s 75th anniversary. The Queen also turned on the external lights
on Broadcasting House, which hadn't been switched on since the
end of the Second World War. Ìý
The Big Toe Radio Show is broadcast on 91Èȱ¬ 7, seven days a week from 4.00 to 6.00pm.
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It is a live, interactive show for nine to 11-year-olds
packed with stories, competitions, quizzes, interviews, discussions,
games and music.
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Each day there are continuing stories from leading
authors, including Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman and Roald
Dahl. Ìý
Woman's Hour is broadcast on Radio 4 each weekday from 10.00 to 11.00am.
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