The former English-by-Radio department of the BBC World Service was established in 1943 taught English as a foreign language on radio from a building called the Queen's House in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. Familiar to listeners the world over, the unit produced programmes in English and in a bilingual format.
Queen’s House was the creative hub of the operation, and was to be joined by a TV production wing in the early 1960s. Radio programmes were broadcast from studios in Bush House, whilst TV programmes were made in a variety of BBC and non-BBC studios and sold internationally.
Although no longer in the Queen's House, the service is now online and known as BBC Learning English.
Buildings
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Alexandra Palace
The birthplace of television -
Broadcasting House
The first purpose-built broadcast centre in the UK -
Broadcasting House, Belfast
BBC Northern Ireland's headquarters since 1941 -
Broadcasting House, Bristol
Former home of the Natural History Unit -
Broadcasting House, Cardiff
The BBC's first bespoke headquarters in Wales -
Bush House
Home of the World Service 1940-2012 -
Camden Palace Theatre
Light entertainment and music from North London -
Caversham Park
Listening to the world, 1943 to 2018 -
Ealing Studios
The BBC Television Film Studios -
Elstree Studios
Home of EastEnders -
Lime Grove
A temporary measure for 42 years -
Kingswood Warren
Former home of BBC Research & Development -
The Langham
Sustaining the BBC during World War 2 and after -
Maida Vale
The best acoustic in London -
35 Marylebone High Street
The first headquarters of the Radio Times and BBC Radio London. -
MediaCityUK
The BBC's Northern base in Salford -
Pacific Quay
Headquarters of BBC Scotland -
Paris Studios
Former London cinema which hosted The Beatles and Dad's Army -
Pebble Mill
A hub for drama, entertainment and factual programmes in Birmingham between 1971 and 2004 -
Queen's House, WC2
Centre of English language learning -
Riverside Studios
A film studio regenerated into a TV studio used by the BBC from 1954 to 1975 -
Savoy Hill
The first home of the BBC -
Television Centre
The Television Factory -
Television Theatre
A mecca for the stars of the 1960s -
Wood Norton
The emergency broadcasting centre
