First TV Centre Recording 31 October 2008. Team: Dan, Jamie, Cheryl, Clive, Emma, Adam, Wendy plus cameo appearance from Amanda.

There were quite a few people in the queue when we arrived at our usual too-early time but via the shiny new Wood Lane tube station for the very first time. It transpired that not only were more ‘Golden Balls’ were being made (as was the case the previous week when we went to the recording of Shush) but the BBC Three Lager/Crispsesque ‘Grownups’ was also being made that evening. I am torn via my love for Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller in Doctor Who but we were kept amused by how little some of the fans of that sitcom were wearing on such a cold evening. We couldn’t avoid talking about the Ross/Brand kerfuffle and came over all ‘Silent Majority’ from John Finnemore’s radio series, as is often the case. Due to three shows having one queue the opening of the doors turned into a slight bundle moment but we all got in pretty sharpish and once the ‘frisking’ had been done some nice snacks were had by all. The ‘Grownups’ fans were constantly taking photographs of each other and trying not to shiver so we had to copy them as we are impressionable…


Adam and Wendy kept their dignity by being out of shot for this.

The Stolen Earth gift set tempted me in the BBC shop but do I really need any more Dalek or David Tennant figures? Probably not. Damn you, not-yet-separately-available Davros! Like that bad time last series, the other studio door was chosen as the important place to get to (across the foyer from where we were) but it all ended well when I rediscovered some spare youthful energy and my pushy side. Off to Studio 8 we went, and marvelled at the wobbly sets which were correctly assumed to be Colin & Ray (from series two) and the drunken B&B from that Drill Hall try-out session way back in August. The obligatory warm-up fear issues were put to rest when Lucy Porter appeared as she did a good job that time on series one but I think her recognition of familiar faces in the second row showed that we were becoming a bit scary in our comedy love. After a brief fire exits routine (not a patch on TMWL producer Gareth Edwards’ own version of course) and some whooping the stars came out, went off for a bit, Lucy found someone with long hair to name Thor (again) and talked to a man in the front row whose glamorous wife couldn’t remember her own name but could remember that she was from the Philipines. Then we got on with it. Now for the SPOILERS…

DO YOU WANT SPOILERS? IF NOT, CLOSE YOUR EYES NOW!

Studio Sketch 1:
The Glugger B&B. As tried out and loved at the Drill Hall, David and James Bachman run a B&B where everyone is pissed. Rob and Sarah Hadland play the couple who stay there, and other drunk guests include Mark Evans and Abigail Burdess. This sketch has two parts to it and includes several bits of VT. Very good. Inbetween takes Lucy found some Americans to talk to, as is the rule of warm-up, and Britney got booed for being a Republican (and maybe for her name too, how mean, as political correctness gone mad stikes again at the BBC!) but the other one passed the Obamarama test. The people on the B&B set topped up the drink bottle with a BBC funnel then they did the second part of the sketch.

VT Collection 1:
Not cooking vegetarian food for guests.Hmmm…
Modern inventions in the olden days. One of the obligatory ye olde sketches.
The Apprentice-style show without the idiots. Good one, we like satire.
Inspector Voirot: Wonder what this could be? Another good one.
Policeman and CSO who do not get on. First of several of these where they only needed one.
Behind the scenes sketch invloving wee.
Atheists find message in melon. Longer sketch, quite good.
Agent Suave: Another long one with cameos from producer Gareth Edwards, writer John Finnemore and a recurring character from both previous series. Very good silly sketch.
Policeman and CSO sketch two.
Behind the scenes sketch involving adult chats.
The alternative doorbell sketch from that Drill Hall session. Got lots of laughs.
Policeman and CSO sketch three.

Lucy returned, brandishing a 1983 edition of TV Times but they are ready to do the next studio sketch, “round the back” so we have to watch on the screens which are strangely out of synch…

Studio Sketch 2:
The King and his Lords are discussing who to give more responsibilities to and it is always Lucentio (played by writer Toby Davies) because the king fancies him. Not particularly hilarious but unintentionally funny when Rob knocks the lute off the table at the end.

VT Collection 2:
Behind the scenes: Not lending a pen. These ‘in character’ ones are always consistently funny.
Victorian behaviour, from the first Drill Hall try-out session in August. Any excuse for dress-up!
Too-honest wedding speech.
New Age Hospital, amusing.
Lazy TV Writers: Spy drama. A bit too silly.

Lucy tried to start her TV Times quiz but the next studio set was ready…

Studio Sketch 3:
Colin and Ray from series 2 in their shared office, about Colin wanting a government grant for being autistic. There are a lot of technical problems with this as the audience screens are again out of synch, Rob’s microphone is not working properly and a lot of the dialogue is very fiddly. A fridge magnet slides doen the filing cabinet, the sound cuts out again, Producer Gareth comes to the set… Lucy discusses her other prop: Thai Bar Guide phrasebook. A few pick-ups are done on the sketch and then the second sketch begins, involving a quit smoking helpline and some more tongue-twisting dialogue. Will be good in the final edit though.

VT Collection 3:
Inspector Voirot again but breaking the fourth wall in a very funny way.
Behind the scenes: running order, very funny again.

Lucy came back, it’s all done and finished by 10 like it’s supposed to be. Rob and David thanked everyone and we slowly left the studio, stopping off at the Tardis on the way where we bump into another of the Uber-Fans. Hello Amanda and goodbye BBC!

Next week: TV Centre part 2 of 2. Then some more location sketches shown at the Radio Theatre with the disappointing bar…

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