Elstree Backlot

In 1982, Central Television was creating a new show, which at the time, could be seen as ground breaking. Based on a building site in Germany, and starring many cast members who were total unknowns to most of the viewing public. That show was obviously Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. The show on screen was set in Düsseldorf, but with only a handful of scenes actually filmed there. Hamburg, and Elstree studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, were the main settings for filming in the early 1980’s.Auf Wiedersehen, Pet was the last major TV Series to be made at Elstree Studios by ITV, and since 1984, the EastEnders set has now stood on the famous building site. The whole of the backlot at Elstree was used to create the Beco Building Site, with thousands of bricks shipped over from Germany to make sure everything was perfect on screen. A crane, the blue huts, site offices and half built houses were all created for the this iconic TV Show. Not many pictures are online during this early period, but thanks to ATV, I have a couple of pictures which you can see below Copyright: The following images, articles and text are copyright awpet.com.

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Auf Wiedersehen, Pet 1983 - 2016