We are leaving at 8am and will probably get home well after 1am but may never get the chance again, so its definitely worth it for me!

How excited are you getting now?

Wow, long day. I hope there's a cafe or something nearby for recaffination purposes!

I am driving everyone nuts at work...


I will take supplies for the journey and a bottle of water in my bag for the queue, and once stickered, get to go off for lunch, so should be ok!

I feel like I am off to Boot Camp.

Hope you get good seats and a brilliant view.

Heavenly and Chrisdy34 & anyone else going tomorrow night, have a fab time.

thanks for the info, I've signed up for the mailing list, maybe this time next year I'll be getting all excited!

Just how far do they go to make sure people don't smuggle phones in? some kind of detector/scanner? I know some young women apparently carry small mobiles in their bra (I read a story suggesting it might be a risk factor for cancer )

I think they have the big walk through detectors like at the airports. Not sure though, that's what I read

We walked through an airport doorway scanner, there's a security guard with a wand scanner and your bag goes through an x-ray machine so answer would be no.

Hope that Heavenly is enjoying herself today.

This time next week, I will be in the audience holding area and into the studio soon.

I wonder what they'd do! presumably they're not allowed to strip-search ...

Someone asked about whether there's enough time to get away between queuing. Definitely, we had a clear 3 hour gap last week, between getting the tickets validated, and coming back to get on to the complex.
I'd go so far as to say you should get in the first queue as early a possible, and the second queue as late a possible. There's no advantage in queuing early in the afternoon. Being at the end of the queue with an early sequential number means you will get in, but won't have much hanging around in the holding area.
We got a few mile away for a leisurely lunch in a lovely village If you have all day parking you can get parked again later.

Airport style scanner, but there was no female around to pat down the ladies. So not sure if the security blokes do it, or they have a female security person, or they don't bother.

My friend said DO NOT take a phone - the queue to get it back at the end of the evening is horrendous

The queue started off being horrendous and took ages to get going. But once they got some sort of process in place it really sped up. If you do take a phone, just get one bag for both phones if you're going with someone. If everyone does that it might save some time.

Ive been told that too. One can only hope things improve during the series. I know that Im going to leave my phone in the car next weekend.

Good luck and have fun.

We should get an early spoiler then.

Depending of course on how far the car is away from the studio?

Sara we expect you to be perfecting your Tabata-style sprints in order to be bringing us the fastest spoiler EVAH next week!

That's a shame, I think that's what I would prefer.

Hi Everyone, well here as promised is my feedback from Saturday. A long day, but well worth it, great fun and a really enjoyable experience all round - partly due to the helpful tips I picked up from here, so thanks folks!
I will keep this brief, but feel free to ask me questions if you need to, you have all seen the shows so I will concentrate on the logistics.
We arrived just after 10am. Although the tesco car park is closest and free for 3 hours, the council car park in Brook Road is only a couple of minutes walk away, £5 all day (and does not close). In the queue by 10.15, with folding chairs and flasks. BBC rep came along fairly soon to explain the procedure - tickets will be validated from 12 o clock. I was able to ask her about bag sizes (I had brought 3!) and it turned out the largest shoulder bag was fine to take in to the studio, so I left the others in the car. She told us there were 700 places, and 200 were kept back for production/family and guests. If they did not turn up, those on standby (red) tickets would be in with a chance. I also saw yellow stickers but don't know what they were for.We got stickered blue 169/170 and were told to come back at 2.45, and join the queue to go in.We drove off for lunch after getting some snacks for later, bottled water and using the loo in Tesco.We returned about 3.15 and joined almost the back of the queue, safe in the knowledge we were 'in'.This queue shuffled along for about 45 mins or so until we got to the 'sticker point'. This time we turned left into the entrance, where phones were handed over, and placed in numbered clear bags -on advice we had left ours in the car, so skipped this part of the queue and went on through an airport style scanner. Long queue for the porta-cabin loos, which again we by passed, having used the restaurant facilities, and not been in the 2nd queue too long. In hind-sight, as week 2 is such a long recording, this may have been a mistake!Then on into the 'holding area' which is a large marquee. This was crowded and quite warm, although there were water coolers and I think vending machines (not sure). we changed from our 'flats' to heels, and handed in our coats/brollies/shoe bags to the cloakroom in return for a numbered ticket.NB only water in bottles with tops is allowed in to the studio, not the cups from the coolers.We were in there until just after 5pm, only a few seats around the edge, so mostly standing, when we eventually got to go into the studio . More in part 2....

So it's 5pm and we are in the holding area waiting to go in to the studio. THANK YOU VERY MUCH to all who sent in feedback about this stage. It has obviously been taken on board. Tickets were called in very small batches - no more than 20 at a time. A queue was formed (the way in was not also the way out as previously reported, so maybe this was also changed). We were constantly told that our tickets would be checked and they were!. When we made our way round the back, over and under cables etc to be shown to our seats we recognised several people who had been close to us in the first queue, so this system obviously worked.We were sitting just to the right of the orchestra, next to the stairs - a fantastic place for a good view (not so good for 'being seen on telly' but who cares about that?!) The best part was all the contestants had to walk right past us to go backstage and often made little comments. Dave Myers said ruefully after being 'saved' - "It's the Paso Doble next week". Watch this space.... The warm up guy was excellent and did a really good job keeping us entertained - I think he must be the regular guy someone mentioned before, as he said he's be doing it 8 years. We were treated to the performance of the group dance for the results show first (twice) and the judges in their Sunday night outfits. Then a pause (warm up guy back) change of outfits and into 2 hours of the live show. Another pause, then the recording of Matt Goss's slot for the results show (twice), A 15 minute 'loo break' - yes that's all, for 700 people - with the threat that if we were not back in time we might not get back in, so we didn't go (hindsight is a wonderful thing!) Then the recording of the results show. We were tired, but the dancers still looked fab.The results show was a little more stilted as there was time for a few retakes, and interspersed clips, but Claudia and Tess, ever the professionals, hardly needed them. never realised before how hard the back stage and props guys work running on and off between dances in the live show, carrying stuff and sweeping the surprisingly small dance floor. Dave Arch and co brilliant, and we were close enough to call out our appreciation. Coming out we went back through the holding area to collect coats & bags. The queue for this was not too bad, and no longer than the phone queue, so we could have split up and done one each.We were v anxious about the loos, but again the queue was not too bad at all. We also saw Mark Benton and Pasha outside, so this would be a great time for photos/autographs if you were so inclined. A few minutes and we were back to the car about 11.15. Tired but happy! Would do it all again if I had the chance

Hey Chris - glad you had a great time, where were you sitting? We were in the group on the right of the band and staircase (claudia's side).




Here is my day...


Sorry for delay in posting.

This is going to be long...full of Elstree info and my Strictly experience. So feel free to ignore bits of no interest to anyone apart from me......

We parked in Civic Centre car park, very easy to find, signposted just before you get to Elstree Studios, £5 for over 5 hrs, just google it.

We got there at 10.15am, long queue which surprised me, wish we had brought seats, we could have done seeing we drove, but luckily met a great bunch in the queue and I got a seat! Great fun group of people, 3 guys and 5 ladies. Youngest guy was 24! My OH went to Costa and came back and didn't realise he had been standing next to Camilla the whole time...men!! : There is a Tesco Express and Costa so one of you can easily keep nipping off for suppies.

Stickers were given out from around mid-day, I was No 180, big relief when we all got stickers and we were told we were guaranteed downstairs seats.

Our 'Strictly queue gang' then dispersed in different directions to get lunch/get changed etc and we all thought how amazing it would be if we actually got to sit together...which was very slim as you had to re-queue later on.

Avoid Borehamwood high street...not that pleasant and I looked a right tit in my red dress. We found a Toby carvery, turn right out of the studios, 10 min walk, up Studio Way, next to a Travel Inn.

Rejoined queue at 2.45pm, as was told they would be letting people in at 3pm.

Mobiles get handed in, you go through a security check as well. If you dont' need a mobile, don't bring it, then you won't need to queue up after to retrieve it.

After lunch, I suggest not bothering getting back to the queue that early, no point, everyone gets put in the holding 'pen' as I call it and you are called into the studio in number order, so it really doesnt matter what time you get into the holding 'pen', as long as its by 4pm. It is warm in there and the queues for the loos were long. You get called into the studio around 4.10pm in number order. You can take a plastic bottle of drink with a lid in and non hot snacks into the studio.

You are in the studio a LONG time, 5 1/2 hrs with a 15 min break, so be prepared but to be honest, even though it was tiring, you are having such a fantastic time, you don't really notice.

We met up with our 'Strictly queue gang' in the holding pen and we all got sat together in the studio!!! Though one of the girlies was a massive Julian fan...so I had to keep it buttoned! We were sat to the right of the band (looking at the band) next to the staircase. It didn't feel big in there at all and the dance floor seemed tiny! Warm up guy was hilarious, inter-acting, insulting people, asked some guy if he was Post Op!

Group dance (for the results show) was performed first, which they ran through twice. OH had palpitations, as Ola was very close by. My oh my....up close.......Artem's backside and Aljaz' face....pure perfection...almost criminal!

Perceptions changed, for me. Tess was lovely, came out, chatted to the audience, very natural & funny. I think she suits being lead, with Claudia as wing man. I like Tess now.

I'm a Claudia fan anyway but boy, she is a legend! She came out in her skin tight VB dress and ridiculously high shoes and could hardly walk, said the F word a couple of times when asked to stand up by the Floor Manager, she was hilarious.

Seeing the dances live is so different, you can feel things. I am no fan of James Jordan or Vanessa Feltz but I welled up at the end of their dance, you could just feel the emotion.

Mark and Iveta was the dance of the evening, it was such fun and everyone adored it.

Obviously being there for Sophie and Brendan's Charleston is something I won't forget, just a joy to watch.

I loved Abbey last week but this week, it wasn't great and on the stairs for the results show, she had a right face on her! And my she is teeny tiny, me and my OH both said to each other when she came out, how thin she was

I didn't notice the mistakes with Deborah, the fun and spice you could feel from her and Robin was just infectious.

Brendan and James are like a couple of naughty school boys, when filming stops, they wind each other up and chat to the audience. When the judges first arrived, they stood right next to my OH and me and Darcey looked stunning, they looked over, all smiled and said hi.

Its very annoying, now I have to like Brendan and James.

The judges are very playful when the cameras aren't on them, very cheeky.

What I loved about it, was you really feel a part of it, no pro dancer or judge feels above themselves, they all wave and say hi.

I am no fan of Bros but Matt Goss sounded very good live and that did not come across when I watched it back. I had no idea he is doing sell out shows in Vegas.

Filming of the results show was so interesting, how it all links up and how important audience inter-action is. I found it all fascinating and very professional. The way the guys sorted out all the props for each dance quickly and quietly.

And I must give a massive round of applause to the band and the singers. I know we don't always like the song choice etc...but we kept forgetting they were there, sounded like someone had put a CD on, truly amazing live.

Aliona's OH was sat in the front, well I assume it was her OH, she was sat on his lap inbetween takes. Then Harry Judd and his fiancee came over to chat to them. My OH was in the urinal next to the Dragons Den host...claim to fame.....

Anda first for Strictly, warm up guy picked a girl out of the audience so she could walk down the staircase, a la Tess Daley, so she did and the music played, and the warm up guy said he needed a 'Bruce', so he called up the girl's bloke, and he went down on one knee! And she said yes!!


We left as soon as cameras stopped rolling so was pretty much near the front of the queue for my mobile, so that was fine...knew you lot were waiting for the spoiler....PRESSURE!

Dived into McDonalds, needed substinance, some very well dressed people in there.

Then drove home...got in around 1.30am....exhausted...but dreamt of sequins all night......my other half is well and truly hooked.....got to see Ola doing Crazy in Love AND When Will I Be Famous dance routine...TWICE....we went to sleep very happy.

Any other info needed, just ask. Thanks to everyone that posted on here with tips that were so helpful for my day.

Heavenly we must have been behind you! We were 4 rows back, on the right as you look at the orchestra,at the end of the row next to the stairs. We were chatting with Claudia about her shoes when she had the black outfit on (Top Shop apparently!). I couldn't take my eyes of James's muscles when he was on the steps. Loved the interaction with him and Brendan. Anton is quite a player too,They all seem to have a lot of fun with each other. Think the pro girls worked hardest on Sat though as they had the Matt routine twice as well.He's lovely close up - something of the Beckham about him.
It was a shame not to see 'the icon that is Bruce' but I do so agree with you about Tess. She is much better without Bruce and can well hold her own as the anchor. Claudia is just too funny but very sharp! The week 2 show is by far the longest as no one has been eliminated, so I can see why Brucie gave it a miss if he wants to last the series - and I can see why he ducks out the results show too.
Wasn't the proposal a surprise - wonder how he organised that!