ITV's Surprise Surprise with Holly Willoughby
I don't know how but I'd stumbled across a site called Lost in TV which advertised 'free tickets and casting opportunities for your favourite shows'. Admittedly at first I was a bit dubious but I've always been intrigued by the behind the scenes aspect of TV and when I told my boyfriend who hosted the show, he was definitely more than happy to come along! To apply, I simply had to select which date and the number of tickets and on the same day I received an email saying not only had I been successful but we had priority tickets meaning we would be among the first people admitted into the studio.
Aside from basic details like where to go and what time we had to be there by, we had relatively little information so hopefully this post will be helpful for anyone planning on going to a similar event. The priority tickets meant we had guaranteed entry if we arrived before 5:30 but otherwise it is very important to remember they over book these things to ensure they get a full audience and we saw many people in the Great British Bake Off queue get turned away. We checked out the area around 3 just so we would know where we going and were told by the security staff people would probably start queuing around 4. However, unable to contain our excitement, we returned to join the line around 3:30 and were about 30 people back. The information on our ticket had stated the dress code was smart and glamorous evening wear but there was a complete mixture from people in jeans and t-shirts to blazers and skirts to summer dresses. The only important thing to remember is to not where anything with large brand names or logos on. I personally wore a cream floaty chiffon blouse tucked into a black skater skirt with black tights and comfy flats. Whilst I did get very warm in the sun during the day I definitely felt I was dressed appropriately when subjected to the extreme air conditioning in the studio. When the queue for British Bake Off was let in, our own line was divided into those with priority tickets and those with standard and we became only 15 people back. At around 5:15 we were let through the gates and given stickers with our seat number on, although interestingly they weren't given out in order; the couple just ahead of us received row F tickets whereas my boyfriend and I were on the front row! There were also different colour stickers being allocated, indicative of which block of seating you were in.
After almost 2 hour of queuing, although it really didn't feel that long, we were let in and completely chuffed when we found ourselves not only on the first row but by the aisle therefore in the middle. There was a fantastic comedian who warmed the audience up whilst technical adjustments were being made and just generally provided great entertainment throughout the evening despite not being actually on the show himself. He was hilarious and it would be worth paying money solely to see him. We were also treated to seeing celebrity guests and a rather well known musical act perform but of course that can't be revealed until the series airs at the end of September! The actually filming process wasn't tedious at all which was perhaps what I'd expected, but ran very smoothly perhaps taking 2 and a half hours but definitely seeming to go a lot faster. We were out by 9 so had plenty of time to still get the train home.
All in all it was an amazing experience and great for a relatively inexpensive day out (all day we only spent money on travel and food). It would be perfect as an unique gift for a special occasion or just as a bit of a treat to yourself. I'm still buzzing from it and would absolutely recommend it to anyone because of the variety of shows you can apply to see. I really can't wait to book for something else!
Have you ever been part of a studio audience?
Lara xo
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