Pinewood Studios

Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio in Buckinghamshire, which dates back to 1934. It was the production home of such classic British films as the original version of The Blue Lagoon, the definitive adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and most of the Carry On movies. It is so indelibly associated with the James Bond franchise that they have their own stage on the lot, the Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, the second largest such stage in the world. Other modern action-adventure blockbusters have filmed at Pinewood, including Mission: Impossible, Aliens, The Fifth Element and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Doctor Who has had considerably less involvement with Pinewood. It was never used by the original series. However, as Pinewood has adapted itself to the 21st century, it has vastly expanded its television production facilities. Many BBC shows now film or are planning to film at Pinewood. Perhaps the biggest signal of this change at Pinewood is the news that EastEnders will move to Pinewood in 2010.

The availability of increased television production services at Pinewood has thus been of benefit to the 2005 version of Doctor Who. Notably, it was the only facility available for the specialised underwater filming necessary to portray the deaths of Scooti and Toby in The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit.

Pinewood and Shepperton Studios merged in 2001, then acquired Teddington Studios in 2006, consolidating three separate Doctor Who-related studios into one entity.