Editing BT Tower (section)

==In popular culture==
[[File:Model of BT Tower in Miniland, Legoland Windsor.JPG|thumb|upright|Model of BT Tower in [[Legoland Windsor Resort|Legoland Windsor]]]]
The tower has appeared in novels, films and on television, including ''[[Smashing Time]]'', ''[[The Bourne Ultimatum (film)|The Bourne Ultimatum]]'', ''[[Space Patrol (1962 TV series)|Space Patrol]]'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[V for Vendetta (film)|V for Vendetta]]'', ''[[28 Days Later]]'', ''[[28 Weeks Later]]'', ''[[The Union (2024 film)|The Union]]'' and ''[[Danger Mouse (1981 TV series)|Danger Mouse]]''. It is toppled by a giant kitten in ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]'' 1971 ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' parody ''[[Kitten Kong]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 June 2015 |title=Golden opportunity to relive 60s and dine at top of BT Tower |url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/19/bt-tower-restaurant-to-reopen-to-public |access-date=16 October 2021 |website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jury |first=Louise |date=19 June 2015 |title=The BT Tower restaurant is going to reopen this summer! |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/reveller/restaurants/bt-tower-restaurant-your-chance-to-turn-back-time-and-dine-at-the-top-of-a-landmark-10331448.html |access-date=17 January 2021 |website=Evening Standard |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601192433/https://www.standard.co.uk/reveller/restaurants/bt-tower-restaurant-your-chance-to-turn-back-time-and-dine-at-the-top-of-a-landmark-10331448.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Tower and the Glory: The BT Tower on Film (1960s parties and The Queen goes for a spin…) – British Pathé and the Reuters historical collection |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/blog/the-tower-and-the-glory-the-bt-tower-on-film-1960s-parties-and-the-queen-goes-for-a-spin-2/ |access-date=10 November 2020 |website=www.britishpathe.com |archive-date=2 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602012555/https://www.britishpathe.com/blog/the-tower-and-the-glory-the-bt-tower-on-film-1960s-parties-and-the-queen-goes-for-a-spin-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

It was referenced by the [[Dudley Moore]] Trio's track ''GPO Tower'' used in the soundtrack for ''[[Bedazzled (1967 film)|Bedazzled]]'' in which it also appeared.<ref name="gpo film">{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/237523-Dudley-Moore-Bedazzled|title=Discogs - Bedazzled|website=[[Discogs]]|date=1968|access-date=2024-08-04|archive-date=4 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804213614/https://www.discogs.com/master/237523-Dudley-Moore-Bedazzled|url-status=live}}</ref>

Two stamps depicting the tower, designed by Clive Abbott (born 1933), were issued in 1965.<ref>''West Lothian Courier'' Friday 6 August 1965, page 9</ref><ref>''East Kent Times'' Wednesday 13 October 1965, page 11</ref>

===Races===
The first documented race up the tower's stairs was on 18 April 1968, between [[University College London]] and [[University of Edinburgh|Edinburgh University]]; it was won by an Edinburgh runner in 4 minutes, 46 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GPO Tower Race 1968: celebrating 50 years of UK tower running |url=https://towerrunninguk.com/tag/bt-tower/ |access-date=20 October 2018 |website=Running UK}}</ref>

In 1969, eight university teams competed. John Pearson from [[Victoria University of Manchester]] was fastest in 5 minutes, 6 seconds.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 January 1969 |title=GPO Tower Race To Top 1969 |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/gpo-tower-race-to-top |access-date=20 October 2018 |agency=British Pathe |archive-date=20 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020223758/https://www.britishpathe.com/video/gpo-tower-race-to-top |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 1969, the tops of the GPO Tower and the [[Empire State Building]] in [[New York City]] served as the start and finish lines of the [[Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race]]. The race between the two buildings was held over an eight-day period and commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the first non-stop [[transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown]]. A total of 21 prizes were offered to entrants for categories based on the type of aircraft they utilised and their direction of travel.<ref>{{cite news |date=12 May 1969 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/05/12/archives/air-race-ends-proving-a-point-speed-on-land-helps-the-victors-cross.html |title=Air Race Ends, Proving a Point |work=The New York Times |access-date=10 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=July 1968 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qjJUpdt0o2YC&pg=PA4 |title=From the tower |magazine=Flying |pages=4, 6 |access-date=10 February 2025 |via=Google Books}}</ref>