If you’re looking for places to eat in Wembley Park – perhaps to refresh yourself during a shopping spree or fuel yourself for the big game at Wembley Stadium – you’ll find few places with as rich a history as Studio Five. Located beside the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, it’s a significant part of the story of British entertainment; a place where the likes of David Bowie, Nina Simone and Freddie Mercury once trod. Here, we delve into the era between 1993 and 2016, when the site was owned by Fountain Television.
A site in need of refurbishment
When Fountain Television bought Wembley Studios, it already had an illustrious history as a film and television studio. Shows such as On the Buses and Upstairs Downstairs had been made here, but throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, the complex had declined. By 1993 it was badly run down and in desperate need of redevelopment.
Extensive refurbishment took place in 1994, and Studio 5 became integral to the site. At 14,000 square feet, it was the largest fully equipped television studio in the UK – larger even than Studio 1 at the BBC Television Centre. One of its most useful features was that it could be split into two studios by lowering a soundproof door. Each space had independent control facilities, meaning recording could take place in both simultaneously.
Gaining momentum
Among the first shows to use Fountain Studios were Hearts of Gold with journalist and presenter Esther Rantzen, and Talking Telephone Numbers. Before long, bigger productions were being hosted here, including the ‘London wedding’ episodes of the hit American comedy Friends. In 1998, a brand new game show called Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was recorded at the studios; it went on to achieve worldwide success.
A resounding success
In the early 2000s, a demand for light entertainment grew, and Fountain began to welcome an array of shows, starting with Winning Lines (1999 – 2004) and Pop Idol (2001 – 2003). Huge viewing figures led to more work for Fountain, with The X-Factor (2004), Britain’s Got Talent (2007) and The Cube (2009) all subsequently being filmed here. The site continued to be successful throughout the early 2010s, playing host to celebrities like Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Sharon Osbourne, Cheryl and Gary Barlow.
Closure
On 12 January 2016 it was announced that Avesco Group PLC, the owners of Fountain, had agreed to sell the freehold to a property developer. Productions continued to be filmed during 2016, which turned out to be one of the studio’s busiest years. The last show to be broadcast live from was The X Factor semi-final results, which aired on 4 December 2016. The studio then closed its doors for several years before re-emerging as you see it today – as the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre and Studio Five Restaurant.
Eat in a historic setting
When it comes to places to eat near Wembley, why not walk in the footsteps of stars and dine at Studio Five? As one of the best places to eat in Wembley, we offer a bold fusion menu, a relaxed vibe and a continued legacy of live performances thanks to our curated programmer of up-and-coming artists.
