If you have ever been successful in getting free tickets to the BBC live recordings of Strictly - can you remember how long the recording of the show took?, and I have heard you need to get there early, in order to secure a seat.... how many hours did you need to stand in the queue outside BBC TV Centre?

(Just wondering, in case I am lucky enough to get tickets this year !! - less than 1% chance, I know, but someone has to get them! )

from memory, you are let in around 4pm and let out around 10.30pm ish.....

Yes, you do need to get there reasonable early due to the BBC over allocating tickets, the times I have been, I have got there at 9am (yes, sad I know!!) sometimes I have been first in the que, other times there have been people in front of me! I also know people who have arrived at around 12ish and have got in but tbh, in my opinion, the earlier you get there the better - I know that I would be devestated if I got tickets again and couldnt get in because I didnt arrive early enough

I hope that helps

Thats about right Olive.

From experience last year the earlier you get there the better. But they do oversubscribe tickets. I spoke to a couple of were one of the last let in last year and they were on standby to get into the studio. We worked out they were approx 150 in the secondary queue (ie those on standby to fill in empty seats). They had got there about 3 pm and their original ticket numbers from the ballot were over 1100.

So if there are approx 600 seats for the audience (including VIPs) then they oversubscribe tickets by nearly double.

Depending when the live shows start, they start seating the audience approx 1.5 hrs before that time and then the results show is filmed approximately an hour after the end of the live show. Things finish between 10 pm and 10.30 and most people get out of TVC just after that (although it can take approximately 20 mins to half an hour to get coats/bags and phones back.

I live close by.
Is it worth a punt of turning up and politely asking (begging) someone in the queue for a spare ticket? Would you succumb to a nice polite chap being so brazen?

I have had friends do that and be successful!! Worth a try if you ask me! if you dont ask, you dont get

Your best bet is probably to get a part in EastEnders.

I am so glad I read this before I applied this year, as much as I love Strictly there'll be no way I'd stand in a queue from 9am to get in.

You can of course turn up later.... and after lunch, but dont expect to sit anywhere good.

or even get in!!

That's what I would be most concerned about, I have applied for the last 3 years without luck. Imagine getting the golden tickets only to be told that the studio is full and be turned away

Do they make allowances for people with visable disabilities? There's no way I could stand/wait in a que for so long - could it work to my advantage in allowing me to get in?

I think you can apply for a disability ballot. From memory, you have to ring a separate telephone number.

Try reading here:
www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours

And of course you can bring a foldable seat with you (I often do) which can be stored (for free) in the cloakroom bit.

I dont know if it would be advantageous.

Edit: Ive just checked on the website and when applying for tickets and there is a "do you have special access needs" section that you have to fill in if you have mobility difficulties.

Not sure if that answers your question but there you go.

A bump for Jules

Some posters seem to have been incredibly lucky and got tickets on several occasions - what's their secret I wonder?

Thank you

I am going on 10 November is there food available in bbc centre as I went to the final last year in Blackpool and there was not many refreshments available

There's Tea / Coffee etc available once you get into TV centre, Westfield Shopping Centre is just across the road from TVC, you can get some food there.

As soulmate61 has posted elsewhere, please see the following threads that already mention about food/drink and times you should arrive.

At least one of those has a long summary (by me of timings and what happenes and whats available etc).

Sara between the two of us an encyclopaedia of attending Strictly is taking form.

I do wish the Mods would allow us to PIN at least one of the tickets threads so its not necessary to go looking for the links every time...

One of the threads you've given a link for is this one....

I have been an invited guest so I couldn't tell you, but the Green Room hospitality is nice

(Sorry)

No Brucie in November 10th - is that good or bad ?

I have been three times to the live show. The first was the second series, second when Ramps and Karen won (final) and the year after. You have to get there very early. That long ago we got there at 12pm and there were lots queuing. Tickets then were much easier to get. You were allowed four then, and you rang up gave your details and date, and they said didnt see a problem. Tickets came through on all three times. Now there is the random draw because the show has become so popular, and not so easy to get the tickets. Also more celebrities are going to watch. It is a fantastic day, tiring and long. You get to meet (or we were lucky enough back then) to speak to the stars and pros during breaks and after the show on the dance floor. Not sure if you can so easily now. We had loads of photos taken aswell.

Hi,
We went a few weeks ago. We arrived just after 10am and there were already 107 people ahead of us, which apparently was a lot more than previous years. We queued until about 1pm when some crew came out, gave us stickers that would guarantee our entry and we could pop off to the shopping centre to get some lunch. Went in BBC Centre about 2.30/3ish, still lots of waiting round etc but well worth it.
The first 12 people in the queue got some amazing seats right on the edge of the floor but they were there around 8am, I believe.
F&C
http://frankieandcloverstrictly.blogspot.co.uk/