What a day! Fabulous! On 1st August 2004, we drove down to Teddington Studios to see the recording of My Hero yesterday at about 3pm. For those who don't know, Teddington is not in the centre of London, but is still London - Middlesex to be precise. The journey there was great - The car navigator took us through Richmond, by the Thames, Harrow, Wembley, Watford, Ealing (Saw the Ealing studios and drove down Ealing Broadway!)....Hampton Wick (Didn't see George and Mildred though!:-)). We also saw signs for and buses for Staines (Ali G - Remember him?), Hammersmith (Richie and Eddie!), Moseley (That's where Matt Busted is from!), Elstree (Eastenders and TOTP!) and loads of other famous places.
I've got a thing about London - I think it's really exciting seeing all the places you've only heard about and where all the 'magic' happens - Where stuff is recorded and where celebs and characters live!
Anyway, 1 1/2 hours later, we arrived outside Teddington on Studios! Really lovely area! We didn't have to be there until 7pm, but people had started to go in anyway. It was so exciting going into the studios - Especially when we were taken over to the recording studio with all of the other audience. All around the corridors, reception and cafe are huge pictures of the shows filmed there - Men Behaving Badly, Minder, Birds of a Feather, Morecambe and Wise etc.
There were blue plaques on the wall outside as well for Benny Hill, Sid James and lots of other actors. We walked through huge corridors with props and doorways until suddenly....In front of me were the living room, the bedroom, and the doctor's surgery sets from My Hero!!!!!!! Wow!
We were shown our seats (They were brilliant seats, three rows from the front, in the middle). Hanging from the high ceiling were hundreds of lights and microphones. Above the seats were monitors, so we could watch the action on there as well. In fact, until they were ready to start, they played an old episode of My Hero on them for us to watch! Soon....We were introduced to Bobby Bragg, the 'warm up' guy and who kept us entertained in between scenes. At around 7:30pm it was time to start. Bobby introduced the cast members one by one! They all ran, walked in front of the audience and waved and took their places either on set or backstage again. Good to see Ardal O'Hanlon again (I've seen him in his stand-up show) and to see the other cast close-up.
I can't give the plot away because the series isn't due out until January, so I don't want to spoil it, but it was very funny! I can't believe I went to the episode with a computer theme!!!!!!!!! lol It was very funny though! And to see Hugh Dennis in a dress! Lou Hirsch (Cousin Arnie) was the first to make a blooper - In the very first scene. Hilarious! I think every cast member made one or two 'fluffs' as they say! All adds to the enjoyment though:-) Some of the scenes had to be re-taken again, either for technical problems or at different angles. I can't remember what this is called....Some name for it....
Over all....Amazing! Seeing how it's all done and where it all happens! Very interesting! A LOT of hard work for cast and crew. They'd been rehearsing all day and it was very hot. They finally 'called it a rap' at about 10:30pm. The audience of about 300 soon filed out of the studio and back out into the cool night air. I was lucky enough to get to say "hi" to Lou Hirsch after the show - So, many, many thanks again Lou if you happen to be reading this! Had a great day!
Just a few questions....
Do they purposely try and get as many people with a cough to be in a studio audience!? The amount of coughs and splutters I heard!!!!!!
The lady in front of me with the most annoying laugh ever - if you can call it that - did you purposely try and laugh after everyone else had, so you'd hear yourself on TV?!
That's it....If you ever fancied going to a recording of something....DO IT! It's absolutely brilliant! Especially at Teddington - Really nice people - It's a night out, you get to see your favourite shows being made - And how it is made and put together - Which you don't see at home - and it's free!
I've got a thing about London - I think it's really exciting seeing all the places you've only heard about and where all the 'magic' happens - Where stuff is recorded and where celebs and characters live!
Anyway, 1 1/2 hours later, we arrived outside Teddington on Studios! Really lovely area! We didn't have to be there until 7pm, but people had started to go in anyway. It was so exciting going into the studios - Especially when we were taken over to the recording studio with all of the other audience. All around the corridors, reception and cafe are huge pictures of the shows filmed there - Men Behaving Badly, Minder, Birds of a Feather, Morecambe and Wise etc.
There were blue plaques on the wall outside as well for Benny Hill, Sid James and lots of other actors. We walked through huge corridors with props and doorways until suddenly....In front of me were the living room, the bedroom, and the doctor's surgery sets from My Hero!!!!!!! Wow!
We were shown our seats (They were brilliant seats, three rows from the front, in the middle). Hanging from the high ceiling were hundreds of lights and microphones. Above the seats were monitors, so we could watch the action on there as well. In fact, until they were ready to start, they played an old episode of My Hero on them for us to watch! Soon....We were introduced to Bobby Bragg, the 'warm up' guy and who kept us entertained in between scenes. At around 7:30pm it was time to start. Bobby introduced the cast members one by one! They all ran, walked in front of the audience and waved and took their places either on set or backstage again. Good to see Ardal O'Hanlon again (I've seen him in his stand-up show) and to see the other cast close-up.
I can't give the plot away because the series isn't due out until January, so I don't want to spoil it, but it was very funny! I can't believe I went to the episode with a computer theme!!!!!!!!! lol It was very funny though! And to see Hugh Dennis in a dress! Lou Hirsch (Cousin Arnie) was the first to make a blooper - In the very first scene. Hilarious! I think every cast member made one or two 'fluffs' as they say! All adds to the enjoyment though:-) Some of the scenes had to be re-taken again, either for technical problems or at different angles. I can't remember what this is called....Some name for it....
Over all....Amazing! Seeing how it's all done and where it all happens! Very interesting! A LOT of hard work for cast and crew. They'd been rehearsing all day and it was very hot. They finally 'called it a rap' at about 10:30pm. The audience of about 300 soon filed out of the studio and back out into the cool night air. I was lucky enough to get to say "hi" to Lou Hirsch after the show - So, many, many thanks again Lou if you happen to be reading this! Had a great day!
Just a few questions....
Do they purposely try and get as many people with a cough to be in a studio audience!? The amount of coughs and splutters I heard!!!!!!
The lady in front of me with the most annoying laugh ever - if you can call it that - did you purposely try and laugh after everyone else had, so you'd hear yourself on TV?!
That's it....If you ever fancied going to a recording of something....DO IT! It's absolutely brilliant! Especially at Teddington - Really nice people - It's a night out, you get to see your favourite shows being made - And how it is made and put together - Which you don't see at home - and it's free!