Bush House Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Bush House was the home of the BBC World Service from 1941 to 2012, where it produced international radio, television and online content that reached millions of people around the globe. Located at 30 Aldwych in central London, this impressive building served as a hub of journalistic activity for over 70 years.

Originally completed in 1925, Bush House was designed by American architect Harvey Wiley Corbett. Its grand neo-classical exterior and marble-clad interior provided an impressive setting for the BBC’s global news operations. At the height of its activity, over 40 different language services operated out of Bush House, employing around 1,200 staff from across the world.

For decades, Bush House played a vital role in delivering trusted news and information to international audiences, especially in regions where media was restricted. Many of the BBC’s most acclaimed journalists and correspondents worked out of these studios over the years. Though the World Service relocated in 2012, the legacy of Bush House as a beacon of impartial, independent reporting endures as a key part of Britain’s journalistic heritage.

Located in the borough of Westminster, Bush House sits in the heart of London surrounded by other landmarks like the Royal Courts of Justice, Somerset House, and the West End theatres. Its central location underscores the key role it played in establishing London as a global media capital in the 20th century. Today, visitors can still admire its striking architecture that made Bush House such an icon of the London media scene for generations.