My very long review..... do love a long review!!
So.... daughter and I travelled down on the Friday evening to Elstree. We stayed at the Ibis, before we checked in, we walked up the road where we had to queue. Found it no problem. Ibis is the perfect hotel for the studios, close by ....basic, but ideal!
Checked in and then went to the big 24 hour Tesco's which is close by.
Back to the hotel to try and get some sleep... was so excited, I didnt sleep...up at 2.00am made a flask of hot chocolate up, took a blanket, chair, wrapped up warm...got there 2.30 and already there were some people there, first lady got there 12.30am!! we were 9th and 10th in the queue.
There was a security guy there who would pop out from time to time. We had a laugh with our new found friends.
Was easy enough to go back to the hotel to refill flasks/hot water bottles etc!
A lady in front of us had got some little heat pads (almost like a tea bag) she had got them from one of the £ shops, and they were brilliant. I was well wrapped up, but my feet got cold, despite having layers on!!
About 6.00ish it started to rain...and rain...and rain! Up until then the time passed quickly.
Tickets supposed to be validated at 9.00am, but 9.15 still nobody there to validate....dont think they wanted to get wet!
The queue behind us, stretched as far as I could see ....just one mass of brollies! Did I mention the rain!!!!
Eventually we got our tickets validated with the sticker and went to Tesco's for breakfast... although its a big Tesco, it was only a Costa Coffee cafe....we had a toastie and went back to the hotel. Hoped to have a sleep, but still in a Strictly bubble no sleep to be had.
We had to be back to the gate at 3.15,
Glammed and glittered up, we had a slow walk (both in heels, it had to be slow!) in the drizzly rain up to the gate.... I had planned to leave my phone at the hotel, but as we had to wear coats, carry brollies, I took it as I knew we would be queuing up for coats. Met up with the brolly brigade again, another long queue. Eventually started to move forward into the marquee, Handed in coats on one side, phones on the other.
There was the 'photo booth' with various props you could use and have 2 photos ... they are good quality photos as well.
There is a bar in there, tvs and seats.
Toilets outside, apparently 6 toilets (very small though)
A lady announced what was going to happen when we went through for seating, not sure what time we went through, but the first 10 people were taken through, first to the area opposite the band, in like a covered seating area. I knew the seats were small...but they were very, very small! One thing, although they emphasise the fact to go in number order....we found there were a few who did push in, we had another couple behind us and we were 9th and 10th! The couple behind, wasnt the couple that was behind us in the queue early hours of Saturday morning!
Wasnt pleased at all, but the person who seated us had us in the wrong section... so was taken to the seats behind the judges.... we was on Bruno's left side, a few rows back... the best seats were reserved for Production .... so not fair, I didnt see them queueing for 7 hours, and in the pouring rain! (I think I mentioned the wet rain!) People complained, but it didnt do any good, because of the Remembrance show, Service Men and Women had the front seats.....understandable, they should. But not the Production staff.
So really had to rely on the tv to see the dancers.
The show was amazing, really, really enjoyed it. First of all we saw Andre Rieu ... performing Hallelujah, followed by Brendan and Natalie dancing. Beautiful... so moving when the poppies fell.
Loved the dancing, the pro dance was very moving as well. Did have 2 attempts at it, due to lights going out, and a dancer missing a step! Third time lucky.
We had a break, orange juice and kit kats handed out. Some of the pro dancers chatted with the audience by the stairs. It was nice to see the celebrities mingling with family and friends... Judge Rinder with his grandparents, such a tender moment.
Elimination process.... we had a good view of Judge, and really felt for him, so nervous.
The ones on the dance floor, couldnt properly see them.
They are all so supportive of each other.
There is a warm up guy there and certainly gets the audience involved, clapping, booing, cheering, laughing.... by the end of the evening you are worn out, with all the standing up, sitting down in those very small chairs!
By the end of the evening I was feeling like I had jet lag (that was obviously due to lack of sleep) but without the flight!
Once the person who was out was announced, you see them doing their last dance and then the interviews of the remaining celebs.
Then a massive queue to get out, we had AJ/Oksana/Joanne pass by us. Some people were lucky enough to get autographs, as they stood by the dance floor.
Went back into the marquee and daughter queued for the coats and I queued for phone....it is well organised and the queue does move along steadily.
Then...back to the hotel....certainly slept better Saturday night!
So that was my Strictly experience, would I do it again.... I doubt it (I say that, might be different if I was lucky enough to get tickets!) they really need to look at how tickets/seating is done.
Just need now for my brolly and shoes to dry out... I know I mentioned the rain!!
So.... daughter and I travelled down on the Friday evening to Elstree. We stayed at the Ibis, before we checked in, we walked up the road where we had to queue. Found it no problem. Ibis is the perfect hotel for the studios, close by ....basic, but ideal!
Checked in and then went to the big 24 hour Tesco's which is close by.
Back to the hotel to try and get some sleep... was so excited, I didnt sleep...up at 2.00am made a flask of hot chocolate up, took a blanket, chair, wrapped up warm...got there 2.30 and already there were some people there, first lady got there 12.30am!! we were 9th and 10th in the queue.
There was a security guy there who would pop out from time to time. We had a laugh with our new found friends.
Was easy enough to go back to the hotel to refill flasks/hot water bottles etc!
A lady in front of us had got some little heat pads (almost like a tea bag) she had got them from one of the £ shops, and they were brilliant. I was well wrapped up, but my feet got cold, despite having layers on!!
About 6.00ish it started to rain...and rain...and rain! Up until then the time passed quickly.
Tickets supposed to be validated at 9.00am, but 9.15 still nobody there to validate....dont think they wanted to get wet!
The queue behind us, stretched as far as I could see ....just one mass of brollies! Did I mention the rain!!!!
Eventually we got our tickets validated with the sticker and went to Tesco's for breakfast... although its a big Tesco, it was only a Costa Coffee cafe....we had a toastie and went back to the hotel. Hoped to have a sleep, but still in a Strictly bubble no sleep to be had.
We had to be back to the gate at 3.15,
Glammed and glittered up, we had a slow walk (both in heels, it had to be slow!) in the drizzly rain up to the gate.... I had planned to leave my phone at the hotel, but as we had to wear coats, carry brollies, I took it as I knew we would be queuing up for coats. Met up with the brolly brigade again, another long queue. Eventually started to move forward into the marquee, Handed in coats on one side, phones on the other.
There was the 'photo booth' with various props you could use and have 2 photos ... they are good quality photos as well.
There is a bar in there, tvs and seats.
Toilets outside, apparently 6 toilets (very small though)
A lady announced what was going to happen when we went through for seating, not sure what time we went through, but the first 10 people were taken through, first to the area opposite the band, in like a covered seating area. I knew the seats were small...but they were very, very small! One thing, although they emphasise the fact to go in number order....we found there were a few who did push in, we had another couple behind us and we were 9th and 10th! The couple behind, wasnt the couple that was behind us in the queue early hours of Saturday morning!
Wasnt pleased at all, but the person who seated us had us in the wrong section... so was taken to the seats behind the judges.... we was on Bruno's left side, a few rows back... the best seats were reserved for Production .... so not fair, I didnt see them queueing for 7 hours, and in the pouring rain! (I think I mentioned the wet rain!) People complained, but it didnt do any good, because of the Remembrance show, Service Men and Women had the front seats.....understandable, they should. But not the Production staff.
So really had to rely on the tv to see the dancers.
The show was amazing, really, really enjoyed it. First of all we saw Andre Rieu ... performing Hallelujah, followed by Brendan and Natalie dancing. Beautiful... so moving when the poppies fell.
Loved the dancing, the pro dance was very moving as well. Did have 2 attempts at it, due to lights going out, and a dancer missing a step! Third time lucky.
We had a break, orange juice and kit kats handed out. Some of the pro dancers chatted with the audience by the stairs. It was nice to see the celebrities mingling with family and friends... Judge Rinder with his grandparents, such a tender moment.
Elimination process.... we had a good view of Judge, and really felt for him, so nervous.
The ones on the dance floor, couldnt properly see them.
They are all so supportive of each other.
There is a warm up guy there and certainly gets the audience involved, clapping, booing, cheering, laughing.... by the end of the evening you are worn out, with all the standing up, sitting down in those very small chairs!
By the end of the evening I was feeling like I had jet lag (that was obviously due to lack of sleep) but without the flight!
Once the person who was out was announced, you see them doing their last dance and then the interviews of the remaining celebs.
Then a massive queue to get out, we had AJ/Oksana/Joanne pass by us. Some people were lucky enough to get autographs, as they stood by the dance floor.
Went back into the marquee and daughter queued for the coats and I queued for phone....it is well organised and the queue does move along steadily.
Then...back to the hotel....certainly slept better Saturday night!
So that was my Strictly experience, would I do it again.... I doubt it (I say that, might be different if I was lucky enough to get tickets!) they really need to look at how tickets/seating is done.
Just need now for my brolly and shoes to dry out... I know I mentioned the rain!!




. Glad that you enjoyed it. Could you tell which celebrity seemed to get the most cheers ?
