BBC Trip

On Tuesday, we went to see a show being pre-recorded at The BBC Television Centre, at White City. We travelled by a No.220 bus from Putney Bridge all the way. I love travelling on the top of a double-decker bus because you can see so much more than from a car. Often when we have come this way by car, we have seen this small child's bike chained to a bike stand. It has been here for ages and it seems such a shame. Wonder why it has been abandoned and who it belonged too.

I have often wondered how people are able to fall asleep on a bus or train? I would feel vulnerable and worried that someone may steal my bag or l would miss my stop. I saw the other day a person on the train with a badge on his coat. It was an offical badge that said.." Please wake me at Angel Station". What a good idea.

One of the places we passed travelling to The BBC Television Centre is The Westfield Shopping Centre. This was taken from the bus, so it is a bit frosty. What l wanted to show you was all the glass the building is made of. Inside the centre it is very light, has broad walkways and contains most of the world's top shops, many restaurants and a few champagne bars.

Isn't this purple railway bridge great?

The image below is the front of the Television Centre. The reason we went there was to see a recording of the television game show called "Pointless". It was episodes 2 and 3 of series 4. We had never seen the show but it is hosted by "Xander" Armstrong, a comedian we admire. The Quiz master was a guy called Richard Osman who so reminded us of Stephen Fry and in our view was the star of the show. Another reason we went was to see what actually happens in a stuidio and how it all works. Oh my goodness...there were hundreds of lights hanging from the ceiling in Studio B. Hadn't realised that audience shouting, laughing, clapping etc. are all acted out by the audience during breaks in the game play rather than live responses. How about BAFTAs for audience participants then? All very interesting. Would go to see another show but not another recording of this particular format. 
For those of you who don't know how all this works, the shows are free but you apply to audience promotion companies such as Applausestore.com to access tickets. Sometimes you are lucky, clearly there is heavier demand for some shows than for others. (NB - Having been awarded a ticket is more of an invitation to queue than a guarantee of access! The companies invite you to subscribe to Priority Clubs to get 'accelerated' once at the venue...)

While we were standing in the queue, l noticed two buildings opposite the Centre. The first one had this sign on it, "lovelyinside.com" and believe me l reckon it would have to be!

The next building had this very funny sign on it......see below. Isn't it great?

Took the oppurtunity to take some "Street Images" while l was waiting in the queue. Normally l feel alright taking close up shots of people while out on the street but today felt different. I think it was because l was in a queue and couldn't walk away easily, or quickly! Ha! No one complained though.

These were some of the people in the queue, who had priority tickets and so went a head of us. The queue was very long and not everyone got in.

It was very cold and had started to rain when this young woman and her friends joined the queue. Boots and shorts...is it Summer or Winter in this young woman's world?

This last image was on the back pocket of a guy's jeans.. love the skeleton image but don't like the spiders web, spoils the effect l think...