TopGear Filming
Discussion
Bit of a rant really, but if you don't want to read it all, the upshot is if you're lucky enough to get tickets to watch TopGear being filmed, best rock up a couple of hours early, or camp at Dunsfold overnight to actually stand a chance of getting in.
So I got the above ticket, to watch the filming yesterday. Invited three friends to join me, one of which had a trek half way across the country and an overnight hotel stop to be there. Arrived at the correct gate with two cars in convoy at around 12.40 all excited, only to be turned away. The filming was full.
Now I've been to watch TopGear being filmed before, back in the Clarkson days. They used to have 150-200 people, and would move them around the studio for each segment so the area behind the camera was always looking full.
Now, they have a capacity of 570 people, and farm out the distribution of tickets to an outfit called 'Lost in TV'. To guarantee a full studio, they issue probably 25% more tickets than what they actually have capacity for, and then just turn people away once they're full.
The chap in front of me in the queue had driven four hours from Leeds in his Noble M12, only to just be turned around and refused entry. There were probably another 100 cars arrived after us, so potentially another 200 people that were just turned away.
A bit pissed off, we went in The Three Compasses for a pint (right next to the gate), the landlord there said last week a couple had travelled all the way from France, only to be denied access.
I know that we don't pay for the tickets, but we do organise our lives around being there when we get tickets, and incur some expense in getting there (especially that chap from Leeds in his Noble).
So that's it really. s
t rant I know, no swearing. But if you get tickets, rock up a couple of hours early, or you won't get in. The BBC, Lost in TV, and the TopGear production crew don't give a st how far you've travelled to be there.
So I got the above ticket, to watch the filming yesterday. Invited three friends to join me, one of which had a trek half way across the country and an overnight hotel stop to be there. Arrived at the correct gate with two cars in convoy at around 12.40 all excited, only to be turned away. The filming was full.
Now I've been to watch TopGear being filmed before, back in the Clarkson days. They used to have 150-200 people, and would move them around the studio for each segment so the area behind the camera was always looking full.
Now, they have a capacity of 570 people, and farm out the distribution of tickets to an outfit called 'Lost in TV'. To guarantee a full studio, they issue probably 25% more tickets than what they actually have capacity for, and then just turn people away once they're full.
The chap in front of me in the queue had driven four hours from Leeds in his Noble M12, only to just be turned around and refused entry. There were probably another 100 cars arrived after us, so potentially another 200 people that were just turned away.
A bit pissed off, we went in The Three Compasses for a pint (right next to the gate), the landlord there said last week a couple had travelled all the way from France, only to be denied access.
I know that we don't pay for the tickets, but we do organise our lives around being there when we get tickets, and incur some expense in getting there (especially that chap from Leeds in his Noble).
So that's it really. s
t rant I know, no swearing. But if you get tickets, rock up a couple of hours early, or you won't get in. The BBC, Lost in TV, and the TopGear production crew don't give a st how far you've travelled to be there. joshleb said:
Did they not give you priority to next weeks filming?
I've been to a few filmings of comedy and panel shows, and they over-ticket it, but if you can't get in, you get a prioity pass for next weeks one.
Haven't been offered anything, was just turned around and sent away.I've been to a few filmings of comedy and panel shows, and they over-ticket it, but if you can't get in, you get a prioity pass for next weeks one.
Problem is, they let you chose the date you want to attend, and I picked that date for a reason. Next week is 75MM at Goodwood, weekend after that I'm on a stand at the Volksworld show, weekend after that I'm in Yorkshire. I picked that date, got the tickets on the 15th Feb, and organised everything around that date.
Not sure that chap from Leeds will want to make the eight hour round trip next weekend as well.
Phew. We arrived at 12:35 and were granted access. Looks like we were close to missing out (although my wife would have been secretly pleased...), and we only live round the corner.
The organisation could do with some improvement. Once in, we had to wait on the runway for two hours, in the rain, with only a burger van and a portaloo, before the studio was ready for us.
Filming finished at 7pm, so that's a long time standing. Lots of queueing: for the burger van, for the toilet, for the shuttle bus, to enter the studio, for a coffee during the break, for the shuttle bus home...
Having said that, it was good fun and the Australian warm-up guy was funny and kept the audience in good spirits.
At the end, MLB disappeared, but Harris shouted thanks to everyone for coming. I think a quick hand-shake and autograph session would have gone down very well with the audience.
The organisation could do with some improvement. Once in, we had to wait on the runway for two hours, in the rain, with only a burger van and a portaloo, before the studio was ready for us.
Filming finished at 7pm, so that's a long time standing. Lots of queueing: for the burger van, for the toilet, for the shuttle bus, to enter the studio, for a coffee during the break, for the shuttle bus home...
Having said that, it was good fun and the Australian warm-up guy was funny and kept the audience in good spirits.
At the end, MLB disappeared, but Harris shouted thanks to everyone for coming. I think a quick hand-shake and autograph session would have gone down very well with the audience.
DanielSan said:
They state on the website this is the case, they even say get there early.
Does it? Http://lostintv.com/tv-show?id=842I can only see an option to apply for tickets. I don't see where it says "We issue more tickets than we actually have space for, and entry is first come first served, so best rock up two hours early."
Alex said:
Phew. We arrived at 12:35 and were granted access. Looks like we were close to missing out (although my wife would have been secretly pleased...), and we only live round the corner.
The organisation could do with some improvement. Once in, we had to wait on the runway for two hours, in the rain, with only a burger van and a portaloo, before the studio was ready for us.
Filming finished at 7pm, so that's a long time standing. Lots of queueing: for the burger van, for the toilet, for the shuttle bus, to enter the studio, for a coffee during the break, for the shuttle bus home...
Having said that, it was good fun and the Australian warm-up guy was funny and kept the audience in good spirits.
At the end, MLB disappeared, but Harris shouted thanks to everyone for coming. I think a quick hand-shake and autograph session would have gone down very well with the audience.
Gutted we were so close to getting in, but sounds like we swerved a long day out then! In truth it wasn't so bad for us, I'm in Farnborough, so 45 mins away, so the worst it did was take two hours out of my life. My friend though travelled a fair distance and had a hotel stop.The organisation could do with some improvement. Once in, we had to wait on the runway for two hours, in the rain, with only a burger van and a portaloo, before the studio was ready for us.
Filming finished at 7pm, so that's a long time standing. Lots of queueing: for the burger van, for the toilet, for the shuttle bus, to enter the studio, for a coffee during the break, for the shuttle bus home...
Having said that, it was good fun and the Australian warm-up guy was funny and kept the audience in good spirits.
At the end, MLB disappeared, but Harris shouted thanks to everyone for coming. I think a quick hand-shake and autograph session would have gone down very well with the audience.
You can imagine some people though going through the ball ache of arranging pet care, or child care, booking accommodation, fuel, possibly even flights, only to be turned away if they aren't there early enough.
Definition of a ticket: "a piece of paper or card that gives the holder a certain right, especially to enter a place, travel by public transport, or participate in an event."
If they want to continue with what they're doing, they should issue vouchers, which clearly state they can be exchanged for a ticket on the gate on a first come first served basis.
It used to be run by Applause Store and when I applied for tickets on there, it clearly stated that you might not get entry even if you had all the tickets etc. So when I went, I definitely arrived an hour earlier than I was meant to and some people had got there considerably earlier than that.
But yes, I agree with you it was really badly organised at the beginning stage, I was fortunate to be there on a clear sunny day in April but even then, standing by the car waiting for 90 minutes was entirely pointless. Although we could see they had someone hammering the 675LT around whilst we waited, and we also got to watch a chap being taught how to reverse park an articulated lorry.
OP - that is a real pisser for you though.
But yes, I agree with you it was really badly organised at the beginning stage, I was fortunate to be there on a clear sunny day in April but even then, standing by the car waiting for 90 minutes was entirely pointless. Although we could see they had someone hammering the 675LT around whilst we waited, and we also got to watch a chap being taught how to reverse park an articulated lorry.
OP - that is a real pisser for you though.
Shakermaker said:
it clearly stated that you might not get entry even if you had all the tickets etc.
I have spoken to Lost in TV this morning, and they rely on the fact that the ticket says on the small print "Ticket does not guarantee you entry". I just thought all tickets (even paid for ones) said that in case the show didn't go on for any reason (singer/artist being ill etc).
Dr Interceptor said:
Shakermaker said:
it clearly stated that you might not get entry even if you had all the tickets etc.
I have spoken to Lost in TV this morning, and they rely on the fact that the ticket says on the small print "Ticket does not guarantee you entry". I just thought all tickets (even paid for ones) said that in case the show didn't go on for any reason (singer/artist being ill etc).
There is always the need to give away more tickets than are needed because what you don't know is how many people will not show up because of outside factors etc. My mate had 4 tickets, and only used 3 of them when he went as an example.
I wonder what happened to Applause Store then, as they had been running it since 2003-ish?
Biker 1 said:
Blimey, a whole day down the pan to stand around with jail-like conditions, including porta-loo, queuing & rain, just to be on TV for a few seconds at best?????? I'm afraid I can't see the attraction.
it always interested me to go especially as im local, but that just sounds st.Do people not even get to watch the celebrity/stig laps etc? That being said I dont recall ever seeing an audience for that...
p1stonhead said:
Biker 1 said:
Blimey, a whole day down the pan to stand around with jail-like conditions, including porta-loo, queuing & rain, just to be on TV for a few seconds at best?????? I'm afraid I can't see the attraction.
it always interested me to go especially as im local, but that just sounds st.Do people not even get to watch the celebrity/stig laps etc? That being said I dont recall ever seeing an audience for that...
Butter Face said:
PurpleAki said:
tuffer said:
When I went a mate and his Brother flew from the USA and missed the birth of his son to be there.
He is a berk then.Gassing Station | TV, Film, Video Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff