The Graham Norton Show – New Year’s Eve Recording

So, I won a ticket for The Graham Norton Show’s New Year’s Eve recording and it was fabulous! How did I do it? How does it work? How a BBC television show recording looks like and who did I see in the show?

BBC Television Centre

Winning Tickets

Anyone can win free audience tickets for the show. All you need to do is to click on this link and submit an application form. A great thing is, you can apply for up to five tickets: one for yourself and four others for your friends or family.

After giving your full name and email address, you have to choose from three different dates in the given month. You can either prioritise the dates depending on your preferences or you can choose only one recording day.

Once this done, you have to add a few more information about yourself, such as your UK address, your age and profession. If you want to add any comments, you can do so in the comment section. And that’s it! Now, fingers crossed.

When you apply for the recording dates, the guest list will not be announced.

Receiving Your Tickets

If you are one of the lucky winners, you will receive an email approx. two weeks before the recording. That email is your ticket. It’s a very long email (I mean really really long!) but, please, read it through because it contains essential and detailed information about the show, what to bring with yourself (e.g. you will need a photo ID!) and how the security check will look like and when it will start and so on. One of these emails will contain the guest list, too.

This email will be followed by several other reminder emails and some others offering the opportunity to sit in the iconic RED CHAIR and tell your story. It’s up to you if want to answer these emails or not.

Arriving to BBC Television Centre and Queuing

When I should arrive? Well, the sooner the better. The security check starts at 5:15pm but higher number of tickets are given to the show than the available number of seats. So, if you arrive late, you might not be able to go inside even if you have ticket. How is it possible?

Waiting outside of BBC Television Cente

They give out higher number of tickets than the available number of seats because there are always people who cannot attend but didn’t cancel their tickets. If you cannot go, you should send an email back and tell it to the customer service team. Many people, however, fail doing this, so more tickets are given out to fill these seats. If nobody cancels, however, they won’t need the extra tickets, so those few people at the very end of the queue might not have the chance to go in.

Tip: You will be queuing for a long time outside the building, so wear warm clothes in the Winter, stand under the shadow in the Summer, bring an umbrella with you in case of rain and bring a bottle of water.

The dress code is smart casual.

Going In

First, there is a security check: they will check your bag and scan your body with a body scanner. You will receive a numbered and coloured wristband.

Numbered and coloured wristband

Then, you will have to queue at the entrance of the building and stay there for an hour, until everybody is checked and got their wristbands. Here you have a chance to use the toilet.

If you have applied for the RED CHAIR, you will receive another application form to fill in while waiting. Members of staff might ask you to tell your story again. RED CHAIR people will go in first through a different door, guided by members of staff. The others will be let in by the colours and numbers of their wristband. For example, audience with green wristband go first by number order. And they will check it. Once you are in, members of staff will guide you and show your seat.

The show is about to start

Taking photos and videos of the scenery are not allowed but honestly, nobody cares. When I was there everyone took photos and videos and not member of staff told them to stop. Just, don’t post your photos on social media until the show has been broadcasted.

On Air

Before the recording starts you will be asked to switch off your mobile phone. No, not airplane mode and not silent. Switch off.

Before the actual show starts a warm up person will shake the audience up. Once the actual show starts, the audience will be constantly instructed what to do, how to react and when. It’s great fun!

Graham Norton is a very funny, he makes jokes even when the cameras are not on. Sometimes, they have to record something again and again if one of the guests or Graham is not satisfied with it. It is very interesting to see behind the walls of such a famous BBC television show like this.

In case everything goes smooth, there’s no break in the show. When I was there everything went totally smooth. Only Melanie C wanted to perform her song again on the stage because at first she wasn’t satisfied with it.

                                                                              The New Year’s Eve Stage

On the New Year’s Eve recording, which was on as early as 18^th December, the guests were (you probably know it by now if you watched the show on 31^st December): the ex-Spice Girl Melanie C (she performed a live singing), Tom Hanks, Anthony Joshua (boxing world champion), Motsi Mabuse (a Strictly Come Dancing Judge), Stephen Graham (hint: The Irishman, Rocketman, Pirates of the Caribbean…) and Florence Pugh (hint: Little Women).

After the Show

Audience will go out the same way they went in before: by their coloured wristbands. Members of staff will tell you which colours of wristband holders can stand up start going out.

Ribbons everywhere after the show

I’ve never been a show recording before and I can say, it was a fantastic experience. I will definitely apply again next year. The staff was very welcoming and friendly and funny. Taking part in something like a world-famous show was an incredible experience.All the guest were amazing and seemed like enjoying their time in the show, too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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