Riverside Studios is turning one of its multi-use spaces into a 300-seat TV studio in response to demand for central London production space.

Guy Hornsby, the executive director at Riverside TV Studios, said the Hammersmith facility was a good option for productions that wanted to remain in west London despite the closure of BBC Television Centre.

“Demand for Riverside’s Studio One is very high so it makes sense for us to branch out with another studio,” said Hornsby.

The 6,000 sq ft Studio One has hosted shows including Russell Howard’s Good News, Celebrity Juice and The Apprentice: You’re Fired.

“We are proud that every series of those programmes has been based at Riverside, and it demonstrates that what we’re offering gels with what people want.”

Hornsby said it would cost up to £500,000 to turn the smaller Studio Two into a fully fledged TV production space.

Work has already begun on the gallery, which will have a 2M/E HD mixer and an Avid Venue Profile audio desk, while a six-channel EVS-XT2 HD video server will be used for records and replays alongside HDCAM and XDCam facilities.

It will be able to use Riverside’s existing HD lines to the BT Tower for live transmission and incoming feeds.

The 4,000 sq ft studio will initially be equipped with five Sony HXC-100 HD cameras, although it will be capable of accommodating eight cameras.

An additional three Vinten Hawk pedestals will complement the five pedestals on site.

A refurbished lighting grid system and a seating system for up to 300 people will also be installed.

Riverside said it is in talks with new and existing clients ahead of the proposed September opening of Studio Two.

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