"Please, sir, can I have your autograph?" (BBC Elstree Centre)

Member Name: AmyAmy

Product:	BBC Elstree Centre
Date:	14/05/09 (226 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: celebs, excitement, autographs, photos, experience

Disadvantages: waiting in rain

From such a young age I have adored the world of media and entertainment. Anything to do with television, I have worshipped, craving the company of celebrity and light. I remember the first time i went to a television studio: the Glasgow BBC studios when I was in the audience the children's' show The Saturday Show. It was wonderful; everything seemed so 'show-biz', a world I longed to be part of! Okay so the BBC Studios there are not as big as some, but at that age everything was colossal! There are in fact BBC centres and studios up and down the country, some more know than others. In fact there is one a half an hour walk from my house, and I didn't even know about it until earlier this year (!)...something I will have to check out in the near future! However the main centre that is with my heart is the BBC Elstree Studios.

Elstree Centre is located in Elstree and Borehamwood in Hertfordshire. It was opened in 1914, and originally known as Neptune Studios. The BBC bought over the studios in 1983 when it became available. Since then, many top shows have been filmed there, including Grange Hill and Top of the Pops. There is a total of nine stages, of various sizes, in the studios which can be used for various productions. Some are also sound proof, which is always a good thing if you have more than one noisy show in action!

There are currently two main TV shows which take up space in Elstree Studios: EastEnders and Holby City. Although I cannot be sure exactly which uses which part, I know that Elstree occupy the left hand side of the building, whereas Holby' dominate the right section. Of course they do not take up the entire space, but both have very large casts with great complex sets and I do imagine they would use several of the studios!

Now how do I know which sides they use? By viewing the studios from the front gate! I had always wanted to venture into the studios, but this is not permitted unless you have a special little 'staff card' to show you are legible to be inside the gates. Otherwise, you need to 'enjoy' its wonders from outside. Standing on Clarendon Road, just off of Shenley Road, you will find yourself facing towards the BBC Elstree Studios. All you are really able to see is a little of the large buildings peeking over the top, and the large black heavy metal gates in front of you. There is a 'Guard Box' too, which holds a handful of security guards which are there to ensure only the right people enter through the gates!

Okay you might think the fact that I was standing in front of the TV Studios is quite weird. But never fear, it is something a lot of people do! Why? Because it is probably the only time when you are going to have the chance to meet the cast of various TV Shows! Indeed, many of the cast stop for you, mainly the EastEnders lot, once they are on their way out! Funny, as there is a sign strapped to a fence saying that we are not allowed to "loiter" in the area, and that the actors have been told they are not allowed to stop...yeah, right! We'll see about that!

Prior to my visit, I had talked to several people about 'doing Elstree' ~ the name given to the time when you stand outside for hours waiting for the celebrities to finish for the day so you have the chance to speak to them! I remember when I first discovered pictures of people with the EastEnders cast on the internet; I couldn't believe how many they had met...it never occurred to me to actually go to filming locations and stage doors before to meet my desired celebrities! I began to ask questions, and soon I felt a trip to London was a must this Easter. So indeed, travel and accomodation was booked, and off I went for a week, eager to 'do Elstree'!

Of course I hadn't come down to London simply to stand outside Elstree Studios, but being a huge fan of EastEnders, a show home to several of my idols, it was naturally going to be quite a main part of my visit. I knew exactly what I had to do, and set off on the afternoon of the Monday on my day of arrival. Within an hour I was out of King's Cross and all the way out into Elstree and Borehamwood. Finding the studio wasn't hard as I had made my own map with the aid of Google maps, but otherwise it would have been an impossibility. It is not recognised as a main attraction to Borehamwood; there are no sign posts or suchlike leading you to it. I suppose this is basically because they do not want to highlight or create a hot spot for celebrity stalkers!

As I turned onto Clarendon Road I began to walk along, my heart beginning to beat faster. This is it, I am here, I thought to myself. Somewhere I thought I'd never be...only a few minutes away from the cast of EastEnders! As I drew closer I could see the EastEnders bridge above somebody's house. Oh, I would absolutely love to live there...looking onto Elstree and always being able to watch the cast come in and out! Finally I arrived to the little side road, named 'Private Road'. I cast my eyes down the path and there it was, at the end...Elstree Studios! The safe gates and gloriously large buildings. The official BBC Elstree sign stood before me, assuring me I was in the right place! There were houses all around too, so it was not a deserted area. Strictly speaking I was not alone either, and after a while other people did come and join me in my wait for the cast! In fact I went every day for five days, and I was only ever alone for an hour at most, and that's even with the rain too, so not bad!

Time to play the waiting game! I rested my arm on the wall and slumped down. I had no idea how long this was going to take! The first day I was there, the other person who had arrived was not at all talkative, so I might as well have been on my own! EastEnders is a great love of mine, an addiction if you will, and even just being this close was phenomenal for me! Finally time ticked slowly by and my first star came out in their car. Up the little road the cars need to slow down, as there are little speed bumps. We can use this to our advantage, as this gives us a chance to take a glance in the car window to see if it is anybody we recognise. This may sound a little creepy, but if you do what I do and just cast your eyes over slightly, like you usually do when a car passes you, then its not too bad. But I have seen some weirdos who crouch down and peer right in, which I think is both intimidating and creepy for the drivers and passengers alike! Usually you will get our hopes up for nothing, as there are a large amount of BBC staff that drive in and out, and for some reason, chauffers who seem to drive in the gates and out the gates and in the gates and out the gates and seem to carry nobody!

Once you have discovered that it is in fact an actor you would like to meet, you need to see if they will stop. Now not all of them will stop, and you must not get frustrated too much or scream and kick up a fuss! You just have to accept that they may be in a rush or not in the mood ~ they've probably just had a tough day of filming and want to get home! It's understandable! However some will stop, as long as you are not creating a riot! So I would not advise you to run in front of their cars when they come out or try and get IN their cars...that would be a disaster for everybody! If you just approach the side of the road carefully, perhaps hold out an autograph book and call their name, giving them a little wave, they will stop.

Once they pull over, what do you do? Well you do not, under any circumstances, be rude to them! Don't demand anything, and don;t assume that they will pose for pictures on request either! Usually they will, but for example one actor I will not name had been working out and was a little sweaty and didn't want a picture. Thankfully this was not me this happened to but somebody else. It may have been a little disappointing, especially since it was a stunner of an actor, but you have to respect them! Also, you should do as they say, to a certain extent. For example one actress, an amazing woman, was signing an autograph for somebody an she asked who she should dedicate it to. This person kept telling her just to sign, but she insisted she needed to dedicate it to somebody as people try to sell it on eBay. I could see exactly where she was coming from, but this guy was determined not to say his name for it to be signed! In the end, he gave up, but it took a long way to get there! If I was the actress I would have given up with him long before! She then moved on and signed and photographed with me...a delightful process and much easier for her too, I am sure! When the celebrity says they really must go, you must never try and stop them either! They have very busy lives often and were kind enough to stop in the first place, so just let them go!

I was lucky enough to meet quite a few of the EastEnders cast, some of my idols too! On my first day I met Ricky Groves (Gary), Kara Tointon (Dawn), Cliff Parisi (Minty), Tracy the Barmaid, Sam Janus (Ronnie) and Scott Maslen (Jack). Kara is a babe to speak to, very chatty and loving to her fans, with a very hott car too! Sam is apparently really hard to stop too so I was quite pleased to meet her! And Scott? I got to kiss him on the cheek (!).

I was so thrilled with that day, I couldn't wait to go back! Thankfully day two was just as good, where I met Tom Law (Peter), Charlie Clements (Bradley), Nina Toussaint White (Syd), June Brown (Dot) and Don Gilet (Lucas), as well as Kara and Scott again. On Wednesday I met many of the same for the third time, as well as Charlie Brooks (Janine), who has the cutest car ever! Thursday...I was there for an hour at the most, as it started to rain. It was just me onmy own, nobody else, and it was John Partridge who approached me, not the other way on for a change. He was sweating a little from just being at the gym I had suspected, and it was a little rainy too so he was, well, wet. I was nearly on the floor! He is so gorgeous, an amazing man and fantastic actor <3!

Friday was the final day I went to Elstree, as they don't film on weekends usually, and I was going back home on the Sunday! It, again, was raining a little and I wanted to leave, but instead I walked down to the guards and asked if Jo was in. Turns out...yes, she was! Before I went to Elstree I told myself I needed to meet Sam Janus, Rita Simons and Jo Joyner (Jo being priority). I had met Sam, Rita apparently was on holiday, and if I went back to Aberdeen without meeting my idol, I would have cried. So instead I waited...in the rain. Thankfully I was not alone though, otherwise it would have been unbearable! Finally after fives hours of waiting Mrs Madden appeared...and my dream had come true! It was amazing! There was a large crowd of us, as some annoying people turned up just ten minutes before Jo arrived. Now I'm not one to push my way through the crowd as I usually wait patiently at the back until everybody else is done as I think it is rude to barge, for the celebrity's sake not the others (though this is how I miss out on celebs as they run out of time and drive off...Diane Parish to name one). However with Jo I made sure I was right at the front, and got my picture with her. I didn't get a chance for an autograph, but I have seven or eight at home so I wasn't too fussed! That day, just before Jo, I had also met Marc Elliot (Syed), Jake Wood (Max), and at the same time as Jo, Perry Fenwick (Billy). I think it's fair to say I did pretty well! I would have loved to have meet a few others, i.e. Rita Simons, Barbara Windsor, Belinda Owusu, Laurie Brett and Lorna Fitzgerald...but I think I did alright with who I did meet!

Something I found odd was the fact that most folk there were waiting for EastEnders cast! Yes it is the top BBC soap, but Holby City is quite popular too! Not one person from Holby was stopped though when I was there...bizarre! I would have stopped Patsy Kensit had I seen her...but I didn't.

There are both good and bad points to 'doing Elstree'! First of all you get to meet celebrities! I managed to meet two of my idols, which was phenomenal! It is something I will treasure in my heart for ever! However a lot of waiting is involved, and if the weather is bad, it's horrific! Also, large crowds of people can mean less time with the actors, and that's if they stop! On the Tuesday a group of nine or ten girls came and made so much racket and caused a fuss that the security guards threatened them with contacting the community police! You do get some right weird people too, stalker-like. One actress I wont name didn't stop on her way into the studio, as most don't, so this girl rand own to her car to see if she could look in. Seriously if somebody ran right up to your car while you were waiting at a security gate in a little queue, how would you feel?! I don't like being with them as I fear I will get branded like then. Really, I am just a media fan wanting to meet an idol or two, not a stalker who obsesses all day and night (perhaps my autograph collection does not show this, but I'm telling the truth, honest!).

It is however easy to get to. There are busses that run right through, and you can also catch the Thameslink train from various stations. Most people from elsewhere will get a train into King's Cross and it is simple to get to from here! You need to take the Northern line to Kentish town, which is £2 either way unless you have an Oyster etc. Then you get the train from there to Elstree and Borehamwoodm which is £4.40 off-peak or £6.40 before 09:30. Its well worth the money and only a short walk from the station too!

Once there, there is nowhere to sit. SUggesting they put a bench there would be pointless as they do not really want you to be hanging around there. But as long as you do not cayse too much noise they wont really have a legitimate reason to move you along! If you are fine with standing, or resting on the ground when its dry, then it shouldn't be a problem!

Indeed, this is the only way you will get to meet the cast, unless you bump into them elsewhere. Elstree Studios do not offer tours, which I think is a real shame! Other BBC studios do, such as BBC Broadcasting House or the BBC Television Centre. Though Elstree do have a very organised website where you can keep up to date with their latest information and find out plenty about them too! All their information for contact is on there, and if you phone up as I have done many times in the past, I always found that their staff are very friendly and helpful (though they couldn't tell thirteen year old me when Kim Medcalf's birthday was...eesh!). You can visit their site via the link at the bottom where you can also take 360º tours of their studios!

I would give anything to step inside the Elstree Studios! Perhaps one day it is somewhere I will work, presenting and broadcasting live from one of the studios. Elstree Studios truly is an amazing place, and one day I hope it can be experienced by all who wish for it! Until then I will have to make do with standing outside (!) and meeting the lovely EastEnders cast on the occasional trip to London!

© Amy 2009

www.elstreefilmstudios.co.uk/

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