Star-studded parties are among the plans to mark Elstree Studios' 100th birthday.

Elstree Studios has hosted iconic productions throughout its history, including Alfred Hitchcock's Blackmail, George Lucas' Star Wars, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, Big Brother between 2002 and 2018, and The Crown starring Olivia Colman and Matt Smith.

Studios chair Councillor Jeremy Newmark (Lab, Borehamwood Cowley Hill) has confirmed a working group is looking at centenary celebration plans for 2025, including a film and TV visitor centre in Borehamwood.

At a Hertsmere Borough Council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 17, Cllr Newmark described the anniversary as an "important and historic" one.

He said: "A centenary committee is currently being put together to work alongside the working group that will include countywide dignitaries."

Cllr Newmark added: "There's going to be a really exciting programme of activities, ranging from lectures to star-studded parties, to the establishment of what will hopefully become a permanent fixture in terms of a visitor centre on or close to [Elstree Studios], celebrating our borough and this town's film and TV heritage."

He confirmed officers from the Hertfordshire Economic Board – formerly the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership – will lead the working group, and the centenary committee will feature members of Hertfordshire County Council and the Elstree Film Studios board.

"We will also be taking the opportunity to look for external grant funding to support this," Cllr Newmark said.

"And we will also be looking for synergies with Hertsmere's own 50th anniversary celebrations."

District and borough councils throughout England are celebrating 50 years since they were established in 2024.

The Local Government Act 1972 led to the creation of nine new districts in Hertfordshire, including Hertsmere, comprising the former urban districts of Bushey and Potters Bar, the rural district of Elstree, and Aldenham parish.

Cllr Morris Bright (Con, Elstree), who chaired Elstree Studios between 2007 and 2023, said: "The land was purchased for studios in 1925, building began in 1926 and the first film was made in 1927.

"As any good producer will tell you, always spread your costs out over a couple of years.

"We will start the celebrations of our 100th anniversary next year in 2025, and we will run them over a couple of years, with lots of different types of events.

"We want residents to be able to attend them as much as we want to get big names into the studios.

"It's very important that these studios belong to our residents, so they should be part of any celebrations."

Hertsmere Borough Council has owned Elstree Film Studios since 1996, after a campaign to prevent previous owners Brent Walker from developing or selling the site for retail use.