Jennifer Saunders on the BBC in general and Television Centre in particular:

‘The BBC was more than a channel.  More, even, than a production company.  The BBC was a national resource.  It trained and produced the greatest technicians in television, most of whom then eventually went on to work in the film industry.  It was a centre of learning and creativity, with an executive culture that trusted the creative staff to do their job.  It was the place everyone wanted to work, despite the fact that you got more money on ITV.  It was full of TV history.  Dawn and I loved just to walk round the corridors and see what else was happening.  Who was in the studios?  Who was writing what?

It had great studios, totally made for purpose.  Make-up rooms and dressing rooms were all perfectly placed to service each studio, and there were small tea bars between each one for snacks and refreshments.  If you needed a proper lunch, you went to the canteen that overlooked the Blue Peter garden.  If you wanted a posh lunch, you went to the silver service restaurant that was on the balcony above the canteen.  Same food, but with a waitress serving your  peas  with two spoons.  Executives would eat there with guests or stars. This was before the days when they all felt they had to get a limo to the Ivy and spend unnecessary amounts of licence fee.’

from ‘Bonkers: My Life in Laughs’ by Jennifer Saunders.