Sunday 9th March marks 25 years of the London Eye – a structure meant to be a temporary marker of the millennium, that has now cemented its place as an iconic London landmark standing shoulder to shoulder with Big Ben, Tower Bridge and St Pauls Cathedral.
Today, to commemorate its 25th anniversary, the London Eye unveils a star-studded short film; ‘Turning 25: London’s Eye’.
Image credit London Eye, Russel Tovey
Through intimate interviews with celebrity names (Russell Tovey, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, David Harewood and Oleksandr Usyk), Londoners’ personal stories and an original piece of spoken word poetry by London performance poet Emmanuel Speaks, the film charts story of the London Eye and its journey from temporary millennium monument to a permanent cultural icon representing London on the global stage. The film is a love letter to London, following the evolution of London and the London Eye alike across the last quarter of a century.
Image credit London Eye, David Harewood
Over the last 25 years, the London Eye has welcomed over 85 million visitors from across the globe, become the beating heart of London’s annual New Year’s Eve celebrations, led London’s Coronation, Jubilee, 2012 Olympic celebrations and much more. The iconic structure has also cemented its place in popular culture starring in hundreds of movies and TV shows including Mission Impossible, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Doctor Who. As well as played host to thousands of celebrities from English royalty the Prince and Princess of Wales to celebrity royalty Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian.
Julia Barfield, one half of the entrepreneurial architectural husband and wife team who dreamed up the structure and brought it to life, leads the testimonials. She shares the gripping journey of how the London Eye went from a concept created for a national competition (that nobody won, as the judges didn’t think any of the ideas were good enough), to the iconic landmark it is today.
Julia Barfield, of Marks Barfield Architects who designed the London Eye, said, “The wheel started off as a landmark to celebrate the Millennium, but has now become a permanent feature of the London Skyline.
“It was David, my husband, who thought of the wheel, and I located it in the very centre of London. It’s a symbol of time, and a great way to get people up high efficiently – to offer people the chance to see London from a new perspective and raise spirits.
“It’s incredibly moving to see so many enjoying the structure – I’ve been going back and looking at it for the first time for ages. And it just shows, if you have a dream you’ve got to just go ahead and do it – don’t wait to be asked. I only wish David were here to be part of it now.”
Robin Goodchild, Senior General Manager of the London Eye, said: “To be celebrating a quarter of a century standing proud on London’s Skyline is no mean feat when you think it was never in the plan for the London Eye to be more than a temporary structure. That we are, is testament to the way Londoners and the world have embraced the London Eye as more than its parts –establishing it to become the symbol of London. As London’s Eye.
“We are really excited for all those that have been on the Eye over the past 25 years to revel in their amazing memories of their visit when watching the short film. And for those who are yet to enter one of our 32 pods, we hope it inspires them to take a journey across the London skyline and fall in love with the incredible city we are proud to call home.”
‘Turning 25: London’s Eye’, a short film marking 25 years of the London Eye and a celebration of London, is available for all to watch now on the London Eye’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VyktjPAJwM
For the latest headlines from the City of London and beyond, follow City Matters on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
