Hi All, my wife was lucky to get 2 tickets to the live show next Saturday. We have been looking into the best way to get to TV centre and then back and have the following questions:

1) We are weighing up options on whether to drive to the NCP car park in Shepherd's Bush and then walk or going by tube from South Ruislip (near days inn hotel) to White City. Any thoughts on best plan?

2) We were planning to get to TV centre around 1pm - does this sound about right?

3) Can someone explain the security situation we will face i.e what they do with belongings and mobiles etc

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but could not find anything similar.

Also feel free to give comments about people's own experiences of the day and tips etc.

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.

Your bags will be scanned when they let you in at 5pm or whatever the times your tickets say and they'll take your mobiles off you. They'll give them back to you at the very end! They put them in little plastic bags with your ticket number on or something weird I think.

Think 1pm should be alright. I usually got there about 11 and was near the front.

Sorry, I can't really give any advice over carparks etc! I've always used public transport!

General advice ... no one this year (as far as I'm aware) has been able to speak to any of the pro's or celebs ... try and break the mold! It's so much fun! Erm, otherwise, be prepared to be told how wonderful you are before the show starts by BBC staff/warm up people etc and be prepared to be turfed out like and univited guest once it's finished!

You will have an amazing time if you've never been before, just keep your wits about you. Maybe try to work it so they don't sit you in the balcony? Although I think all of downstairs maybe production guests these days!

Hope that helps!

x x x x x

Thanks for your reply, thats very helpful info. The wife is looking forward to it more than me of course!

Just bumping you up again in case someone else can help with the carparks etc...

When we went we took little stools to sit on and checked them into the cloakroom inside where they hold you before you are allowed into the studio.

Also you can get coffee and tea from inside the main BBC entrance next door to where you'll be waiting outside,and there's a loo too!lol.

We are all very jealous of you.. .

We would also be thrilled if you'd pop back in here afterwards and give us a report on what a great time you had!!

Enjoy yourself.

I thought there may be a bit of jealousy!

It will be no problem to write up a report of the day and what happened etc. Would be the least i could do after all the help i have been given by all the great people on Digital Spy!

Yes dollops of it. SCD is the one TV show I would go to but tickets are well nigh impossible to come by.

My wife got hers by applying for them in the name of everyone she knew and luckily enough a couple of tickets turned up under her name! We know we are very lucky to get the chance to go see SCD live.

Id use public transport because since the new Westfield development opened its like gridlock around the Shepherds Bush/White City areas. I live at SB!

If you are staying in South Ruislip... I cant remember if that is on the central line but I know that "WEST RUISLIP" is on the end of the central line so maybe you can either walk or get a taxi to that station, then shouldnt take you more than about 15/20 mins to get to White City.

Thanks for the reply SaraV. South Ruislip is on the central line as you say so will get on the tube there to White City.
I am not too familiar with the tube so excuse my ignorance but do i buy a return ticket at South Ruislip or do i have to buy a single at each end?

I went in week 1 (Waaay back in September!!) and used the NCP car park, plenty of space and cost £16. There were traffic jams around Shepperds Bush green, but maybe that was because Wood Lane was closed at the time. We came in from the M4, and it was an easy run. Maybe some directions are easier to get to the car park from than others. Possibly someone local can advise.

I would agree Sara. As someone living about 3 miles from BBC centre I would not dare drive anywhere near that area since they opened this Westfield Shopping centre, supposed to be the biggest in Europe. Tube is definitely the best option.

I agree. I live in the area too and it's impossible to drive anywhere around there since Westfield opened. I always go on the tube anyway.

As far as buying singles or a return is concerned, you might be better to get a day card or whatever it's called as it would probably be cheaper than a return.

Don't get there any later than 1pm as it would be heartbreaking to end up not being allowed in after all this effort. And do remember to wrap up warm! As saggy said, we took some fishing stools to sit on, plus some food. They will take your mobiles off you as you go in - might be better to leave them behind then you won't be held up on the way out. You can check everything into the cloakroom once you are inside the canteen - where you can get some wine or a hot drink. They will keep you waiting in the canteen for about 45 minutes before they take you outside again to go into the main studio - which will look much smaller than you imagine from seeing it on tv.

Have a wonderful time!

Thanks for the advice

My daughter is also going this week..she will be very interested in all your anwers above...does anyone know who the guest stars are this week?

Very many years since I've been in the Shepherds Bush area, but I would say travel by tube would be best.
And having been to London yesterday and heard numerous announcements that 'such and such a line is closed' I've just checked tube closures for this weekend. Central line is OK.
Have a wonderful time.

TV Centre is about 30 seconds from White City tube. If you drive you are crazy!

Tell the man in the ticket office what you are doing and he will tell you if it's cheaper to get a return or a one day travel card.

Have fun

Thanks for this reply - very helpful