The Maidstone Studios

The Maidstone Studios is a television studio complex with radio studio facilities based at Vinters Park in Maidstone, Kent UK.

It is home to a varied selection of independent British television programming including quiz shows such as Catchphrase and popular children's shows such as CITV's Art Attack (now defunct as of 2007 when ITV Productions stopped producing children's programming).

The site was first chosen by the then incumbent South of England ITV company Southern Television in 1979, and purchased the following year, for a proposed new studio facility should they win the Independent Broadcasting Authority contract for the South and South-east of England. However when they failed in this bid they sold the site to the successful applicant Television South (TVS) at a premium. The complex first opened in late 1982 and provided significant output for the company alongside long-standing facilities in Southampton (which they also purchased from Southern).

When TVS lost their franchise the Maidstone facility was bought (along with the company - but not the site at Southampton) by International Family Entertainment Inc. It was used as an independent production base but also provided news presentation facilities to the present South and South-east of England ITV contractor Meridian Broadcasting.

• In 2001 the site was bought by a consortium of local businesspeople who re-launched the centre as the 'Maidstone Studios', specialising in providing production facilities to independent producers. The studios had an extensive refit including the construction of a new studio.

• From April 2006 it became home to ITV Play's late night phone-in quiz show, The Mint. Filming began in September of the same year of new Channel 4 drama Cape Wrath at the studios and nearby locations.

• From February 2007 Dale's Supermarket Sweep was produced in the newly refurbished Studio 5 and was home to Trisha Goddard in Studio 2 (Until March 2009).

• Until recently (2007) Radio Caroline broadcast from the complex.

• Meridian have now returned to the studios and now use it as a hub for the southeast news service (No programmes are broadcast from here).

• The Maidstone Studios have become known for being home to some of the UK's top independently-produced children's programmes. Recent shows that have been made at Maidstone include Prove It! (SMG Productions/GeronimoTV - for CITV), Finders Keepers (TVS - later Scottish Television - for ITV), What's Up Doc? (TVS/Scottish Television for ITV), It's A Mystery and WOW (both Media Merchants/Meridian for ITV), The Basil Brush Show (The Foundation for BBC) and Ministry of Mayhem (ITV Productions/The Foundation for ITV). Duel (ITV) was recorded in Studio 5

Radio One hosted the "Big Weekend After Show Party" on Saturday 10 May 2008 10pm till 6am from Studio 5 , 2,500 people danced to sets from top DJs including Danny Rampling and Pete Tong

In 2010 Maidstone Studios will be used for a anti-speeding TV advert

it will air on ITV between January 15 and mid-February[1].

External links

• The Maidstone Studios Website
• TV Ark's TVS Continuity Page (Contains promotion footage for Vinters Park's opening in 1982)