The Bbc Studio's Are Haunted

This is my second story I've put in to be published after the story of my early life and how I started to see and later communicate with ghosts and spirits.

This starts a few years ago now. I work at a stage and set designer for BBC London Studio's. I love my job and have met many interesting and some famous people over the years. Some really good and one in particular who I shall not name for I'd probably lose my job over talking about due to current and future on going lawsuits being placed on and against this person even after his passing now a few years ago (good to see the back of him if you ask me. That's all I will say on the matter).

The studio has been around for 50 plus years now and has been added to and upgraded over the years and modernised. What the public see when they watch their fave Show is only a very small section of the whole lot. There are many sound stages, 4 news rooms, backstage and dressing rooms for all the above, there is lighting and sound booths in each and also extra backup in case something fails. There is a radio studio still in use (mainly talk back for oldies these days). Makeup and Dressing Rooms, Clothing, Costume and Set storage areas. Set Design Building where I work with my team of 10 full time and 6 part time crew. As well as a current assistant in training (my old one got married and moved to Australia to live with her new husband). They are a great production staff. I couldn't ask for better. There are numerous back stage workers and repairs people. Costume and makeup people, handymen/women. Builders who help us put together the sets so it all works. I have no idea how they can get it all together with so many people trying to do everything at once at times that it's almost insane. But it thankfully all gets done in the end. Even if sometimes is at the absolute last minute that it's finished it gets done.

Pulling all nighters is something that more often than not you get used to doing and for that thankfully we have a great fully stocked cafeteria that makes the best coffee anywhere in my opinion and I should know I drink probably way too much of it!

Being as old and as busy as this building is there are also an amazing amount of ghosts to fit right in.

The now combined Studio 1 and 2:

Haunted by many early BBC personnel as these were the first studios to be opened along with the radio studio when they first went on air.

William Hartnell, aka the First Dr. Who, has been seen by many people including myself on several occasions wandering from the dressing /makeup rooms to stage 1 and back. He is quiet but on occasion interacts with people who approach him. He has apparently not lost his good nature and friendly disposition in the afterlife. And often helps new workers find their way when they get lost. I saw him the first week I was there he was sitting on the old backstage benches (that have been there forever now) looking like he was reading a book or a script or something. He was reading it in a soft almost whisper to himself. It was my first week and I was looking for a piece of set dressing that someone said we could use that was back there. I got lost in the winding passageways and came across this elderly gentleman with snow white hair, reading to himself. Not knowing he was in spirit I asked him if he knew where the old set props room was. He looked up at me and smiled and said "Yes,young lady. If you go to the end of the corridor here and go left and then go right at a small corridor painted blue there is a door to the left second down. That's the room you want. If you get lost come back and I'll take you there.". I thanked him and followed his instructions. I found what I was looking for and retraced my steps hoping to thank the nice helpful man. But I got back to the bench and he and his book/script were gone. Thinking I'd run into him later I went back to the my place to work on the set piece when my then boss (now retired) asked me how I went. I told him how I got lost and how this nice old man had helped me find the right room. He looked slightly worried and said the studio isn't up yet (open) and there shouldn't be anyone back there. He walked to the door obviously to go see this guy and then he stopped dead in his tracks like he just remembered something and asked me if I could tell him what the guy looked like. So I described the guy as well as I could and my boss went pale and then sort of smiled and said "Well it looks like he's still helping people out that get lost or need other help. Good to hear". Shocked I said to him what do you mean. He says "You just run into William Hartnell. The first Dr Who". Well my jaw hit the ground in shock. As a Dr Who fan I was stunned. I'd only seen a few old grainy photos of William Hartnell and was shocked to learn that he was the nice man who'd helped a new lost assistant. My boss says "Yeah he's like that. Always was nice and friendly to people.".

Really not bad for a Actor who passed on in the 1960's!

Other Studio 1 and 2 Ghosts:

A Security Guard from the early 1960's who died from a heart attack on the job. Still sometimes seen at night if you're working late. He still does his rounds. Mostly you will see his old style flashlight and a dark shape behind it. But it's him. He will sometimes show his face to let you know he's just checking that all is still ok. He's a big man over 6' tall and probably 16 stone. He is generally a friendly and protective spirit who makes you feel safe.

A former Lighting Man who everyone calls Daniel (names have been changed to protect people and families only well known or famous people name will be listed). He passed away after a accident in the early days of the studio. Seen going between the causeway of studio 1 and 2 where he worked setting up the cords and connectors. Dan was apparently electrocuted when a faulty wire got him when he was working on a wire next to it. Apparently stood on the live wire and died almost straight away. He doesn't talk. Doesn't really interact with people. Looks like he is still going about his job.

Ghosts of Studio 3 (Nicknamed the Closet and later used and turned into a dressing room for female guests): very small room barely bigger than an average double bedroom:

A small terrier like dog is often seen sleeping in there curled up on one of the old couches that have been there for years. Dog does nothing but sleep and sometimes snore. No one can remember who he/She belongs to. Some old studio workers believe the dog belonged to a wife of one of the early newsreaders who often left her dog there to be in peace while she watched her husband at work (as they were very close).

Someone or something unseen moves bags and boxes around the room and puts them up on the storage shelves where you can usually reach them or hangs your coat up on one of the many hooks. Busy one day setting up a set I put my big winter coat in there as it was warm in heated studio and I didn't need it. I laid it across the first couch of the three in the room and left to go set up in studio 2. Hour passed and I'd finished up and decide to go get some coffee. So I go in to get my jacket and it is not on the couch. It's hanging up on the first hook on the far wall some 20ft from where I put it. The room I locked on the way out as my purse was in the coat. No one else came in or out as I had the master key. It was nice I think of the ghost to hang up my favourite coat.

Studio 4:

Disembodied footsteps are heard around the main news desk later in the night or early in the morning when no one is using the studio for work. They are loud and sound like heavy boots.

A couple in their 40's are sometimes seen sitting in the studio audience by workers and audience members. Dressed in 1970's era clothes no one knows who they are or why they haunt the studio.

Studio 5:

Men's Dressing room door swings open and bangs shut loudly at various different times. No one is ever seen around when it happens. And it's happened in front of lot of people over the years.

A woman's scream can sometimes be heard at night. It's said to be a memory of the place when it was used as a set for making some early B grade Horror type movies and later a show that was made in the studio that was like the USA Twilight Zone series.

Main Sound And Lighting Booths:

Lights and switches are seen being turned on and off by unseen persons when the booths are empty.

The old intercom that not longer is used sometimes buzzes to life and voices and static can be heard on occasion which shouldn't be able to happen as they have no wires or electricity running to them since walky talky has been put in use and mobile phones.

Main Makeup and Dressing/Costume Rooms:

Makeup cases and containers get moved around when workers' backs are turned. Sometimes really old items like from the 1950's and 1960's show up and vanish just as quick when they seem to want to.

Hair dryers have been seen turning on and off while unplugged and sounding like they are plugged in and being used.

Costumes and Clothes are regularly put up on the rack closest to the door if they are going to be used on that day. Things are sorted daily so that people working on the shows know what's been worn on a particular day etc. These organised clothes and costumes have been known to be moved by unseen hands back to their usual spots and sometimes other outfits have been put in their place which winds up confusing everyone. Because all clothes to be used that day have notes etc pinned to them saying who is wearing them and when and why.

Also clothes that have been put on the repairs racks have been known to have been fixed on occasion by unseen helpers. Including a very delicate dress needed a sensitive hand to put new and small buttons on the back to do it up properly and the wardrobe ladies were worried that they'd ruin it. They went to lunch to talk it over and one of the more experienced ladies volunteered to do it. When she and the others went back after their hour break, they found that the 6 needed very small delicate buttons had been very carefully sewn by a very experienced hand. Problem was all the workers were out to lunch and the room had been locked with no one in it when they left.

Radio Studios 1, 2, 3, and 4:

All have their boards light up and turn off when no one is around.

Phones ring and when someone answers there is only static on the other end.

Music can be heard playing when no one is playing any music in the studio at the time.

EVP's have been heard and recorded all over the radio studios as these are the oldest parts of the studio's built before the first TV studios.

Disembodied voices of DJ's long gone can sometimes be heard when the radio station is empty only the machine is running playing the overnight music.

Cafeteria and Workers Lounge:

Cigarette Smoke often seen and smelt when no smoking has been allowed in the building proper since the late 1990's.

Chairs move around or in and out of tables when no one is using them.

Salt and Pepper Shakers are moved around when no one has used them.

Sinks in the kitchen have been known to turn on and off when no one is around.

Again Phones ring and only static is heard.

Lights turn on and off when the place is closed and after hours. Security has seen it so many times it doesn't raise an eyebrow anymore.

People who are there one minute at tables and gone the next are quite often seen and by a lot of staff and visitors (we have no idea who they are).

Studio 4:

The now infamous TOP OF THE POPS and the JIM'LL FIX IT shows were shot.

Thankfully that nonce Jimmy Savile doesn't haunt the place. I think they'd tear it down if he did now knowing what he did. (Can't say any more don't want to lose the job I love).

Two ghosts have been sighted here. A former carpenter who worked for BBC for nearly 30yrs and loved his job died suddenly at home one morning in 2001. Hasn't stopped him coming in to work for a minute. Ray, as he is called, is often seen checking scenes and sets for their strength and safety like any good worker does. Friendly and approachable ghost who always says hello to all who see him few realise he is a ghost at first.

Second Ghost is a former Studio camera man who committed suicide at home but has come back to his place of work. Dennis as he is called, can be seen checking camera and checking the leads and connectors for safety. Walks around looking important but like he has a lot on his mind. He doesn't talk at all, people have tried but mostly he ignores them.

Again sometimes ghost people are seen in the audience. Of all ages from kids to adults and from different time periods. Most of these we tend to think are memories not real ghosts.

Studio 5 and 6:

Known as the sitcoms studios. Where various sitcoms have been shot over the years.

Also has been used for indoor sets in movies and part of those talent show sets.

Piano on the side of the studio 5 stage is seen and heard playing by itself and it's not a player piano (in other words cannot in anyway play itself). No one knows why it plays itself. The piano though is very old and was said to have come from an old theatre that was torn down after WW2.

Set lights turn on and off when turned off at the main switch when studio not in use.

Intercom that has been disconnected since the 1980's and has no electricity or wires connecting it sometimes buzzes on like someone is going to say something through it.

More Audience Spirits from various eras.

A ghost of a unknown woman we call Claire runs across both studio sets and back before disappearing backstage. Anyone following her will get a shock as she vanishes once she crosses the inner curtain circle into thin air. We have no idea who she is or why she is there. No one seems to remember who she was if she worked there or not. She's dressed in 1970's clothes with ratted teased hair.

Outer Offices:

Former BBC Director who died in the 1970's is often seen in his old office (as he was a very important part of the studio his office is like a museum and hasn't been touched since he died. It still has the year he died calendar and only a phone and some work folders and pens on his desk and his favorite Chair behind the desk. He is a brute of a man who can often be heard yelling at some unseen worker who must have annoyed him at sometime. Known to swear a lot even in front of women. One lady who was sent into do the monthly dust and vacuum of the room felt a hand on her shoulder then her bottom pinched. She turned to have a shot at the pincher and came face to face with the late BBC Director. That was her last day on the job she quit!

Phones ring in closed offices. If someone opens the offices and answers the phone all they hear is static or a very gravelly voice that you can't make out what it's saying.

EVP's have been recorded all over the inner and outer offices of people talking. A girl asking if anyone's seen her daddy. A teenage boy singing a Elvis song (very well mind you). Phones ringing. Footsteps of boots and high heels and more often than not laughter that sounds like someone's having fun.

Orbs have been seen in various places.

Disconnected Intercom buzzes on and off sometimes a male voice of a unknown person can be heard talking through the intercom. It is impossible for it to work all the wires and electricity has been disconnected to all of it.

Front door buzzes to let guards know someone wants in (only used when building is usually closed). When the guard gets to the door no one is there. If they check tapes which they have done also. You can hear it ring but no one is pressing the buzzer.

Other New Studios:

Don't seem to be haunted and I've worked in them all. I guess sooner or later they too will have their own ghosts to add to the list. But for the moment they are quiet and peaceful places after hours.

Car Park:

Various People have seen cars appear and disappear right in front of them. One VIP greeter went out to see if the VIP had arrived as scheduled. Upon arrival at the VIP section of the level he (we will call him Aaron) saw a long Mercedes limo coming into the VIP park entry.

Aaron waited patiently for the car to pull up so he could open the door and greet the VIP.

Now this car looked as real and as solid as any real car around in other parts of the car park. And Aaron clearly heard the car's engine and muffler echo in the enclosed space. He turned for a minute to make sure to main VIP entry doors were properly opened. It was only a minute or so he turned to check. When he turned back the limo had disappeared. So had the engine and muffler echo sound. He thought he was losing it so he looked all around the VIP car park but the black limo was nowhere to be found!

Ok so sorry for the long story but where I work does have a lot of interesting spirits. I'm sure it has more I haven't listed but these are the ones I remember the best. Hope you enjoyed them and thanks in advance for reading them.