Feature by CHRIS BENTLEY
The cast and crew of The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (1988-89) in the big top set, which was erected in the car park of the BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood.
In the last week of May 1988, an alarming discovery was made during repair work in TC5 at BBC Television Centre – asbestos was embedded in the studios soundproof ceiling tiles and coated the trusses supporting the studio grids. The fibrous silicate mineral had lain there undisturbed for nearly 30 years, having been considered ideal for insulation, fireproofing and sound absorption in the 1950s when the complex was constructed. But by 1988, asbestos was a recognised health hazard, with prolonged inhalation of the fibres potentially resulting in fatal illness.