ITN has renovated Studio 1 at its base in Gray’s Inn Road to host Good Morning Britain, which this week began production by ITV News at ITN.
The new look studio – which will also host ITV News and ITV News London – represents a new model for ITN. The quality and lighting on set has been upgraded with new LED technology, moving away from virtual reality after two decades.
With the LED technology, there are now six flexible, moveable screens in Studio 1. Backdrops have been re-shot in 8k. The total width of LED wall is 29.2 metres, with a total number of pixels at just under 47 million, including desk LED.
ITV News used virtual reality since 2004, but the it was decided that GMB had to have a physical set. While the initial plan was to convert to 50% VR and 50% physical, the final decision was to pivot to new technology.
Beginning the conversion in the summer of 2025, the design and build was completed for a deadline of January 5th, in time for the live date of GMB’s first ITV News-produced TX. created a single space hosting 3 shows whilst still on-air in a live working studio.
The original brief from ITV was for viewers of ITV News and GMB to switch on to something recognisable but also refreshed and modern. The set is home to seven hours of ITV content every day, plus special events, such as general elections. The practical challenge; how to do that for very distinct shows and create a flexible multi-platform physical set with LED technology.
One key challenge was that the new Studio 1 is two-thirds the size of the previous Good Morning Britain set. Another major challenge was also decommissioning the old ITV News VR Studio 1 whilst keeping all its programmes alive and running. This was achieved by building a smaller VR studio within the studio, and de-rigging the studio from the outside whilst shows were running.
GMB also has a purpose-built new newsroom, which had its own challenges in clearing apparatus from a room that previously had its own use since 1990, with 30 years of cables to decommission.
There’s also a new backstage room for GMB, with a runners area.
Lighting partner LED Creative also did the daytime lighting for Hospital Club and regional studios for ‘Project Vision’ (ITV’s redesign of all their regional sets.)
Stakeholders:
Jago – set designer
Scena – construction partners
Digiled – video wall providers
DB Broadcast – system integrators
LED Creative – lighting
Stone Soup – Manchester-based graphics company for wall
Pippa Considine
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