Hobbiton™ Movie Set’s Bagshot Row™ Wins On The International Stage

Hobbiton Movie Set has been announced as a recipient of the prestigious 32nd Annual Themed Entertainment Association Thea Award at an event held last night at Universal Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida. The ‘Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement – Attraction, Limited Budget’ recognises the immersive interior Hobbit Hole experience at Hobbiton, known as Bagshot Row.

Recognised as the most prestigious honour in themed entertainment, this award is given by the Themed Entertainment Association in recognition of an attraction that exemplifies outstanding achievement in creating a compelling place and visitor experience. It emphasises excellence in the arts and sciences of themed-entertainment: storytelling, architecture, engineering, production and immersive visitor experience. View all winners of the 23nd Annual TEA Thea Awards here.

Hobbiton Movie Set’s Chief Executive Officer Russell Alexander says he is “thrilled with the award. Bagshot Row felt like the missing peice of the puzzle and was a concept years in the making. Since we welcomed our first visitors in December 2002, we have always put the visitor first and focused on continual improvements to offer the best and most authentic experience we can, so to be recognised for this is outstanding”.

In 2023, Hobbiton Movie Set took on the task to fufill the long held dream to explore a humble Hobbit’s home and build two fully themed interior Hobbit Holes located on Bagshot Row. Alexander says, “For two decades, we had welcomed millions of passionate visitors to Hobbiton Movie Set, but never before had anyone ventured beyond the door of a Hobbit Hole like this”.

With help from an array of the original creative team who worked on the trilogies, this exciting development saw the hillside of the original Bagshot Row, shared by three Hobbit Hole facades, excavated and transformed into an authentic and immersive interior Hobbit Hole experience that has now been a highly popular part of all tours at Hobbiton Movie Set since opening in December 2023.

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy Director Sir Peter Jackson said “Im thrilled that people can go inside a Hobbit Hole now. Its a teriffic culmination of a huge amount of work... It was very important for us that you get to go through a Hobbit Hole and it feels lived in and the Hobbit who lives in there has just gone down the road... and will be back very soon”.

The project was brought to life by renowned illustrators and concept designers John Howe and Alan Lee, known for their work on Middle-earth, alongside Art Director for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Project Manager for Hobbiton Movie Set Brian Massey, Production Designer Ra Vincent, Set Decorator Kathryn Lim, Scenic Painter & Fabricator Head of Department Will Buchanan and Architect Gavin Urquhart.

“A massive amount of crew, care and love went into these Hobbit Holes...Its built by people who care, and for that I thank the whole team very much” Sir Peter Jackson goes on to say.

The Bagshot Row experience is fully immersive. visitors are welcome to make themselves at home, interact with the props and theming while they explore while being mindful of their heads as they wander and weave through the maze of rooms and hallways, all constructed at an 83% with a Hobbit’s stature in mind. Hints of the inhabitants’ family lineage is seeded throughout, with heirlooms and trinkets from generations of Hobbits from yesteryear and a well-stocked pantry with all the fixings to cater for their seven daily meals, all providing a peek into the lives of these halflings.

© Scoop Media