Last night was very informative, which makes it not sound like fun when it was. I nearly got lost when trying to find the studio but I finally managed to locate it by following the massive queues to be in the audience.
After a few frantic minutes of phone calls I went inside and found a very nice chap with highlights who had a list of special people. We got taken to a holding area with booze and my friend turned up a few minutes later. We ordered a round of drinks seconds before being told we had to go into the studio, so we downed our drinks before we were led through the labyrinth of the television studios past pictures of Fern Britton and Ant and Dec.
When we arrived at the set prime seats had been set aside for us so I was sat in the third row from the front exactly in the middle. So close I could even read the note of instructions the Camera man had on a clipboard.
The warm up guy was good, he got the hang of the audience of Have I Got News For You very quickly and everyone was giggling away while the final preparations were made. This involved people frowning a lot while they whispered at each other.
The guests arrived to a mass applause and took their seats (Paul Merton is much taller than you think) and then the fun began. It was like the show but for every question everyone had far, far more attempts at making an funny answer. I laughed a lot but mostly at bits that probably won't make the final cut - Moira Stewart was being brilliantly rude and sassy.
After the show was over we went up to a wonderful bar on the 14th floor and drank free booze while we mingled and admired the amazing view. My friend and I thanked the person who supplied the tickets and she said it was an open invite we would be welcome anytime. She was also telling her friends a story I had told her sister at New Year's Eve so that was a strange moment.
Anyway after a few drinks we scampered home on the last tube, but not before a very important person asked for my email, I wrote it on a sheet of paper from my notebook.
It was a brilliant evening, I'm not sure I want to work in television anymore, it looks like far too much hard work but I do fancy Moira Stewart.
3 comments:
I live such a sheltered (non-London) life that I had no idea they used warm up guys on shows like that...der...makes perfect sense now that you mention it... Love your pic of a 'green' room.
Phwoar, Moira! Watched the show on Saturday (how disconcerting!), and she was one hot babe. That Aussie comic was a bit of a tit, though.
DJ - I think most shows user warm-up chaps, that and booze.
Claire - The Aussie comic was a tit in real-life too.
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