Tag Archives: The One Show

Drinking In A Winter Wonderland

December 8, 2017 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been very busy with loads of fun stuff going on. I finally got round to seeing the musical version of Aladdin the other week. Ever since I went to a recording for last year’s Children In Need and saw the cast perform a couple of the songs from the show. I had been meaning to go. It has only taken me just over a year to make that happen. It was however well worth the wait and it did not disappoint at all. It is a fantastic show.

It is produced by Disney. As it is their version of the story, adapted from the cartoon film they made in 1992. With it being by Disney that means it is all done to the highest possible standards, the sets, the props and the staging is all spectacular. The whole cast were fantastic. They did an amazing job. But there is one man who really does steal the show. He is Trevor Dion Nicholas and plays The Genie. He really provides the fun, lots of comedy and the brightest most flamboyant costumes on display. You cannot help but smile when he is on stage. It is worth seeing for him alone, I would say.

It also features the former UK Eurovision Song Contest entrant and one time Sugababes member Jade Ewen as the Princess Jasmine. It gives her chance to showcase her stunning voice. Singing some of the brilliant songs in the show like for example “A Whole New World”. And just in case there was any doubt I can confirm the version that she and “Aladdin” Matthew Croke perform is way better than the Katie Price and Peter Andre version. It is a real feel good family show. It is definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.

I once again visited The One Show studio last Wednesday. To see another episode of the programme go out live. I actually walk past the studio pretty much every day and I do sometimes have a peer in the window to see who is on. But you really cannot beat being inside and watching all the action as it happens. As with most television sets they are actually a lot smaller than they look on television, when you are sat on the sofa at home. The One Show studio is very small and cosy. It is all very chilled and low key. In that you get in there only about five minutes before the show goes live to air. And it is standing room only.

Then Matt Baker and Alex Jones wander in, say hello and sit on the famous green sofa ready to start the programme. Then the evening’s guests are shown in. On this latest visit they were Alexander Armstrong and Alexandra Burke with a cameo appearance from her current Strictly Come Dancing partner Gorka Marquez. The show also had a Pantomime theme running through it. So there were lots of people dressed up in costume as various characters. In fact during the night I was at different points stood next to a Dame, a villain and a pantomime cow. Right before the show started we had a quick rehearsal for some Panto style interaction with Matt. Which if you saw it, you may have heard right near the start.

It is always a fun experience being there. There are the chats with the guests which are great but of course there are lots of films to. You do get to watch them on the screens in the studio. While the presenters and the guests are setting up for the next item. I am always fascinated about how television is made from camera angles to auto cue and everything that happens in and around the studio to make it all work seamlessly. The end part of the show saw us head out to the Piazza to see more Panto animals in a bit hosted by the man I once saw on a train between London and Slough Matt Allwright. It was a good laugh. The whole team including the presenters are always so nice and friendly when you are there.

Talking of returning to places that I have been to before and after not making it along there last year. I did pay my second ever visit to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park on Monday. It is a massive event with lots going on, if you like your fairground rides, Christmas stalls and winter activities like ice skating.

Personally I have no real interest in those things. But having been twice to Oktoberfest in Munich. I do like Bavarian style Beer Keller’s. Which is something else that they have on offer to enjoy there. Entry is free to the actual site, so it costs nothing to visit these bars.

Therefore as you have probably already guessed as soon as I arrived I just headed straight for said Bavarian Village. You can buy pints in plastic glasses or you can pay a five pound deposit and get a handled pint sized stein made out of a tougher plastic. As you get your money back on the return of your glass when you leave. To enjoy the beer a little better this option was a no brainer for me. So I got myself a stein of Bavarian Gold. Which I have to say tasted great. It is a nice drop.

When I went a couple of years ago there was a singer performing all sorts of classic and Christmas style songs. Well he was back there again doing exactly the same thing. I mean pretty much exactly the same set to be honest.

He does a great job, though. I really enjoyed hearing him do his thing again. It all makes for a really good atmosphere. There are also other bands and singers dotted around the place. But as I was enjoying his work and as I had managed to find a table. I stuck with him for the whole evening.

It does make you feel Christmassy being there. Everybody is there to have fun and have a good time. Pretty much everyone seems to be drinking to. It was busy enough on a Monday, so I imagine it is absolutely rammed during the weekend. It was a nice evening of music and beer. Which let us face it is always a winning combination.

I certainly think the place is worth an annual visit. If you have never been it is worth experiencing. Be prepared to queue for a bit on the way in and I would try to avoid the really busy periods or it could become a bit frustrating with waiting for drinks and food.

I recently spent an evening in the BBC Club. Which is just that, a bar for members of staff to relax in after work. I was there for a leaving do for someone who is heading back to his native New Zealand to host a new Breakfast Radio Show there. It was a top night, it was lovely to relax and chat with people that I normally only get to see in a work environment.

It is a venue I do not visit that often as I rarely seem to get the time. You never of course know who you might see in there. As it is open to anyone who is at the BBC. They do tend to have some decent beers on offer, whenever I have been in there. Which is definitely a plus point. It is very basic and simple. Like any social club you would see attached to a workplace.

It is the final of this years I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here tomorrow night. My choice to win did not even come close to happening as Shappi Khorsandi was voted out of the camp first. In her defence I thought she came across very well, was very amusing and did not do anything wrong. But that is show business. It has been another fun series and as ever on the whole they have all thrown themselves in to the experience. The surprise for me has been “Toff”. I will be honest I had no idea who she was before the show started. But she seems really nice and positive. Which is something I really like. She always sounds so upbeat and excited whenever she talks about anything.She coped well with everything that they have thrown at her.

Ant & Dec were once again on top form. I think they are getting cheekier and more brutal when taking the rise out of the camp mates. While of course not taking themselves or the whole thing to0 seriously. They know what it is all about, simply entertainment. This series did bring up an interesting moral dilemma. When Amir and Ian won the Dingo Dollar challenge and ate the reward of Strawberries and Cream. Before they got back to the camp. Then initially lied to everyone by telling them they had not won it. What would you have done? Would you have eaten them? I would not have eaten them myself, as I am a team player. But if I had one thing is for sure I certainly would not have told them about it while I was still in the Jungle. That would have been a confession in the hotel bar of the luxury hotel afterwards, just after getting a round in.

I have been quite lucky in meeting a few of the winners and contestants from it over the years. My first ever live radio interview was with Tony Hadley. I interviewed Katie Price at one of her book signings. I worked with Kerry Katona at Truckfest. I once appeared on stage with Joe Pasquale. I have hosted an East 17 gig featuring Brian Harvey. I was in the same bar as Sid Owen in Tenerife once. I have worked with Blue a few times, so I have met Anthony Costa and Simon Webbe. I have interviewed Jenny Frost. I have chatted to Tommy Cannon in a hotel bar. I have spoken to Myleene Klass. I have met and interviewed the legend that is Christopher Biggins. I have met on a couple of different occasions the lovely Timmy Mallet. Many years ago now I met Britt Ekland at a pantomime press do. Finally I have met and briefly worked with Pat Sharp.

I was at Wembley this week for the final Champions League group match for Tottenham Hotspur. Before which we had already qualified in first place from the so called big group of death. Therefore it was a kind of odd game.

It gave us chance to play a few players who needed some match time and to introduce a few younger players in to the first team set up for a bit of experience. It was a very comfortable three nil win. It was nice to see a couple of players get their first goals for the club. So we now look forward to the knock out stages. Bring them on!

I had a brilliant celebrity spot in London recently. I was walking with a friend near Baker Street. Ahead of us I noticed a man step in to the road to try to hale a taxi as it was going past. It stopped he spoke to driver but then it drove off. By this point we were getting nearer to him. He stepped back on to the path pretty much right in front of me. Then as he turned round, we were pretty much face to face. I realised it was Noel Gallagher. I did not speak to him but gave him a knowing nod and a smile as I walked by. I have to admit he was looking well. He does just look so cool, though. Every inch the rock star.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil

Healthy Fun

March 4, 2017 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really nice couple of weeks. Mine have been very busy with lots of fun things going on. When London hosted the 2012 Olympics the only event I managed to get tickets for was the Beach Volley Ball. Don’t judge me. Weirdly this took place at Horse Guards Parade in Central London.

So I had never been out to Stratford or the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. I finally put this right recently when I went on a tour of the London Stadium, which is of course the venue that was specially built for the athletics at the games. And the arena that hosted those iconic opening and closing ceremonies. It is now the home of West Ham United.

Before I went to the stadium I had a little look around the park itself first. I found the Aquatics centre. Where all the swimming and diving took place. Then I strolled down to the Leo Valley Velo Park, where all the big cycling moments happened. Away from sporting arena’s there is also a traditional English Garden, which contains a brilliant Sun Dial. If you stand roughly where your birthday is on it, your shadow will point to the right time. How that works I have no idea. I tried it, to prove it was impossible but it was spot on when I did it.

They also have the winning distance jumped by Greg Rutherford marked out on the tarmac. When you are standing next to it, you cannot believe that anyone could leap that far. It looks like an impossible distance. I got tired just walking it.

I then headed in to the stadium. It has had a bit of a West Ham United makeover. And there is now claret and blue everywhere including lots of the seats. The roof has been replaced to cover all of the seats but they have kept the original floodlights in the new design. The seats can be moved closer to the pitch for the football. Then moved back to reveal the running track for when there is Athletics. It is also set up to be able to host concerts.

The seating areas are nice. Fantastic views with no obstructions and the seats are very comfy to. The dressing rooms are well designed and practical. There is still the actual warm up track that the athletes used in 2012 there. I had a sprint down it. And I also had my picture taken on a podium wearing a gold medal.

On the tour you also get to walk out the tunnel and get a managers view of the action from the dug out. I sat in the away side pretending that I was Mauricio Pochettino. Then you see the interview rooms where all the various media outlets speak to the managers after the game. I really enjoyed the tour. You go round by yourself at your own pace.

You are given an audio and video guide to use. Which gives you lots of facts about the stadium, its history and of course everything about the team that now play there West Ham United. It felt really good to be at the stadium where so many amazing achievements took place during the Olympics. May be I will get along to see Spurs play there one day.

I recently spent another Monday Night at the brilliant Old Rope Comedy. It is a new material night run by the fantastic Tiff Stevenson, where great comedians come to test out new jokes. The line-up is always excellent. It takes place every Monday at the Phoenix Pub, which is just off Regent Street in London. It is actually a decent pub in its own right. It is on in their down stairs area and you can buy tickets in advance for it. Which is what I would advise doing, as it is very popular.

As you go in Tiff’s dad is on the door to check your tickets and show you to your seats. Then she always kicks things off and hosts the night herself. On stage there is a noose hanging, and the twist is. If any comic does a joke they have done before they are meant to hold the rope. To symbolise money for old rope, material they know works and will get a laugh.

To give you an idea of the calibre of comedians who regularly appear there. The bill for my last visit included Tom Ward, Sara Pascoe and Joe Wilkinson. All of whom were of course top quality. Even though it is new things that they are trying out for the first time, the standard is high. If a particular gag may be does not work out quite as well as they hoped. They normally have a laugh about that to. So it feels very inclusive.

The audience are there to have a good time and to be nice and supportive. The last act of the night is always allowed to do their normal tried and tested routine to finish the night off. It is always good fun. And I will be going again soon, I hope.

So when I turned forty. My doctors sent me an invitation for a free health check-up. Which I decided made sense to do. So I signed up for it. A few weeks ago I had the first part. During which they weighed me and measured my height, which left me feeling slightly disappointed. As I honestly always thought I was five foot ten inches. And they said that I was five foot nine inches. So either I have been accidentally lying about my height for over twenty years. Or I have shrunk by an inch. They also took some blood to check my cholesterol levels. Just a very small amount not half an arm full thankfully.

The other day I went back to the doctors for part two, the results. Think of it as the Saturday Night then Sunday Night episodes of Strictly Come Dancing. So firstly they look at the height, weight, BMI and general health information. Now bearing in mind there is hardly an ounce of fat on me. According to the way they work out the figures and as the system does not take into account muscle mass. Technically from the information the computer was giving her. She was advised to suggest that to be the correct weight for my height. I should lose a kilogram. My response was simply really from where?

Then next it was the results from the blood test. Well the good news is that my cholesterol is within the recommended and safe acceptable level, putting me in the lowest ten percent of people in the country at risk of heart disease. The bad news is and I did not know this was even a thing but I have too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol. There are good and bad types apparently. Who knew? Basically I need to eat less crisps, chocolates and cheese. Three things that I love! And eat more nuts, avocado and oily fish. So far I will be honest this adjustment has not happened at all. But I kind of figure that as I am in the lowest risk group anyway. I can probably just get away with making just a few subtle changes anyway.

Last Friday I took my parents to see The One Show at Broadcasting House in London. It is live and on just before seven on weekdays. I had been to the studio to see it before but it was new for my parents. And it was the first time that my dad had ever been to a television show. It is always good seeing things at the BBC.

Before the show we met up in the Media Cafe, which overlooks the news room. So you can see the journalists working hard. That is the area that you see being shown at the start of the BBC news. The One Show we saw was presented by the Hairy Bikers. The guests on it were Ricky Gervais and Rag & Bone Man.

About ten minutes before the programme starts. We get shown in to the studio. The Hairy Bikers are already there just doing some last minute rehearsals. Then a couple of minutes before it goes live Ricky Gervais comes and sits down on the sofa. And Rag & Bone Man takes his place in the performance area.

As it is two television cooks who are hosting it. We have already been told we will get some food. So just before the show starts we are all handed some slices of a very nice carrot cake. In fact right at the top of the show you can see me in shot with Rag & Bone Man, eating my cake.

It was great fun, Ricky was on top form and we got a bonus brief appearance from Anita Rani. Then at the end Rag and Bone Man performs his new single with me standing about ten feet away from him. He is brilliant and really deserves his recent success and Brit Awards. He is such a cool, relaxed and normal bloke to.

At the end of the show we all got a group picture with the Geordie Chef’s. Then on our way out we all got given a Patte’ in a bun, like the one Ricky tried on the show. It was a good night watching some live television. It was fun to see my parents witnessing it for the first time. It is always a laugh. And actually very laid back and relaxed for a live show.

My good mate Jeff Nolan has recently launched a brand new Podcast. He is having a very early mid-life crisis, although he is practically four years away from being forty.He is starting to panic about it. His new series is called “Chasing 40”. It features him and his friend Bec, trying to work out how they fit in to this ever changing world with this landmark birthday hanging over both of them. They have both worked in the radio industry for many years. So it also includes a lot of behind the scenes stories from their careers to.

So far they are up to episode two. I make a very brief cameo appearance in the latest podcast. After Jeff heard something in my podcast that he didn’t know about me. I think there is a reasonable chance that I could be making some future guest slots in this programme. I am going up to see him for the Grand National Weekend, which is now a big annual event for me. I am really looking forward to it. So while I am there. I am going to try and gate crash one of their recording sessions.

Here is a link to the current episode of “Chasing 40”. (The one that features me) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E6MOnDGb_w

For the first time in years I did not manage to watch the whole of the Brit Awards. I saw Little Mix open the show and they were great. Dermot O’Learly and Emma Willis did a safe job hosting it. And one of Katy Perry’s dancers dressed as a house fell off the stage.

It is not as rock and roll as it used to be is it? And once again One Direction won the public vote for best video. Their fan base is amazingly loyal. Right, if you missed it, you are basically up to date. Although I only actually saw the first thirty minutes myself.

I am still spending a fair amount of my time working for the BBC in London. The other weekend I found myself working with the legend that is Kate Adie. On her Radio 4 show From Our Own Correspondent. That was a great experience and lovely to meet her. Her career has been exceptional and if you look at where she has reported from and the huge stories that she has broken over the years. It is extremely impressive.

Recently I have once again found myself in a lift with Scott Mills and walked past Andrew Marr in the Canteen.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Racing Away

October 15, 2016 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really nice couple of week’s. Mine have been quite busy with some fun things going on. A couple of Saturday’s ago. I went to Ascot for an afternoon of racing with one of my best mate’s.

He turned forty earlier in the year and me going to the races with him was part of my present. Always treat people to something you enjoy doing yourself, as a gift. That is my tip. Now we randomly selected a date that we would both be able to make. And would you believe it just so happened to be their Beer Festival meeting. I mean what are the chances of that?

We got to the course around midday and collected our race cards, our beer tokens and our festival pint glasses. They had over two hundred and eighty different beers to try there. So if we were to get round them all. We certainly had our work cut out.

I do have a couple of favourite local brewery’s. And as luck would have it. They all turned out to be there. These are the Rebellion Brewery in Marlow, XT Brewery in Long Crendon and The Windsor & Eaton Brewery. Which I am sure you can work out for yourself, where they are based.

So to be honest we stuck to these brands during the afternoon. Just sampling a few of their different ales. I hasten to add. It was a fun afternoon. Ascot is a great course with a fantastic grand stand from which to enjoy the races. But as it is a venue that is often visited by Royalty. I guess that you would not expect anything less. It was nice just enjoying a few drinks and trying to win some of the beer money back on the races.

Although it is fair to say we were not very successful on that front. We both had horses pipped at the post. That would have got us a win each. And the only success we had was my friend got a second place for a horse that he had backed each way. I do enjoy an afternoon at the races but I have still never met a poor bookmaker.

We grabbed some food while we were there. To keep our energy levels up of course. I did like the combinations of some of the food and drink outlets they have there. For example we enjoyed a lovely real Cumberland sausage hot dog from the Champagne and Grill Bar. Where you could buy a bottle of Bollinger with an accompanying hot dog or burger. And to my surprise many people were.

Another great afternoon out. Most people get dressed up to go to the races. So it has the feel of being at a giant wedding. With the added bonus of some horses to shout for. Always a great day out win or lose. Although let us be honest, it is better if you do have a few winners.

I am really enjoying this series of Strictly Come Dancing. Once again there are some really good and entertaining couples. And I always like seeing the close relationships that develop between the professional dancers and their celebrity partners.

I would still not like to pick a winner yet at this stage of the proceedings. I think there has to be a few of them in contention. Personally I have not got a favourite yet. So I am actually a little bit sad when I see any of them leave. But that is the deal. And the way the show has to work.

I did feel really sorry for the first one’s to go Melvin Odoom and his partner Janette Manrara. I think he is just the sort of character you want around the place. Upbeat smiley, fun and to be fair to him not the worse dancer there by a long way. Also it is a shame to see a fantastic dancer like Janette go so early. But again that is the nature of the beast.

It was unfortunate to, in the way it happened with Anastacia being unable to take part in the dance off due to injury. I really like her and with what she has been through she is truly an amazing person. But it just seems almost wrong that by not dancing she went through. I appreciate they are the rules and they have to be in place for matters like this.

And ultimately it was the public who decided who went. So basically anyone who was not happy with the outcome. Unless they voted for Melvin cannot complain. If they thought he should still be in the competition. They should have voted for him.

Although he has done a bit of television presenting. He is best known for being on the Kiss FM Breakfast Show. Which is a big national station and has some very impressive listening figures. But I think the audience that listens to him on the radio would not necessarily be the kind of people, who may watch the show. And even if they did. I imagine they would probably not vote.

Which possibly led to him going so early on. Even though there are less accomplished dancers than him still in the competition. Or to look at it another way. It is just a fun Saturday night entertainment show. They know what they sign up to and being voted out is all part of it.

The next celebrity to go was Tameka Empson. Who was was sent home by the judges after a dance off with Laura Whitmore. Again to be fair I thought both of them were very unlucky to be in the bottom two. There were worse performances and neither of them really deserved to leave the competition at this point.

But the best dancers are not always the most entertaining. It goes out on a Saturday Night. So why shouldn’t we enjoy some silliness and appreciate the people who are trying their best but just ultimately making us laugh.

Yes it is a dancing competition but part of the reason it has lasted so long. Is that the celebrities involved are not dancers. It was a shame to see Will Young leave the show for personal reasons. I thought he was progressing along very nicely with his partner Karen Clifton.

I wonder who will go this week. Or if indeed anyone does after this shock departure. I have no idea what they will decide to do. But I suspect they will carry on as normal and as ever one couple will be out on Sunday.

On the way to BBC New Broadcasting House

Last Tuesday evening I managed to get myself a place in the audience for The One Show on BBC One. It is their mid evening magazine style show that is on Monday to Friday at just before seven. It just so happens to be filmed at the same place where I work. But it was the first time that I had been in their studio.

The guests on the show I saw were Jasper Carrott and Alistair McGowan. I have been a massive fan of Jasper Carrott for pretty much as long as I can remember. My dad was a fan and used to watch his shows. So I think he may well have been the first comedian I ever saw.

We met up in the Media Cafe in New Broadcasting House to check in. Then about fifteen minutes before the show was due to go on air. We were taken in to the studio. Already sitting on the famous green sofas were Matt Baker and Alex Jones. There were just ten of us.

And they were nice and friendly making a point of say hello and welcoming us when we arrived. The floor manager Paul was brilliant as well. Telling us all what we needed to do and having a laugh with us. He also works on Strictly Come Dancing. So is a busy man at the moment.

They then bought the two guests Jasper and Alistair in. The actual show itself goes very quickly and there are screens up so you can watch all the films that they feature. As the studio is small you are actually very close to the action, so get a great view of what is going on.

I for example could see the two presenters auto cue. And I was pretty much looking straight at Jasper Carrott for the whole programme. It was a great experience. And one I may well try to repeat in the future. Then after the show had ended Matt and Alex came over for a quick chat and so the whole audience could have a big group photo with them.

I am still delighted with the way the Premier League season is going currently. Tottenham Hotspur sitting in second place. Still unbeaten in the league having defeated the leaders Manchester City in the process. Ruining their one hundred percent winning start. As I said previously I cannot remember a better time to be a Spurs fan than now.

And at the moment we are still missing Harry Kane. Imagine what could happen when he is back. I am aware that there is a long way to go. But whatever happens I intend to fully enjoy this season. And hopefully get along to a few games. Specially as this is our last season at White Hart Lane.

Last weekend I was out and about in London. As I often am nowadays. I was enjoying a nice walk around the South Bank. Stopping off for a relaxing cup of tea on my travels. It was getting to around two o’clock. When I realised I had not had any lunch. So after weighting up the pros and cons of a pub lunch or food on the go. I opted for the latter. And went to the nearby Borough Market.

If you have never been. Imagine a market jam packed with every type of food you can think of and lots of people. It is always so busy down there. All the stalls are amazing. After walking around the whole place first.

I settled for a home made Chicken Burger. Which was exquisite. The quality of the meat was exceptional. And way better than you would find in any fast food restaurant. I really must remember to eat there more often. When I am in that area.

In the last couple of week’s I have been working on some new and interesting BBC radio shows. The other week I had the pleasure of working with the extremely talented news reader Tom Sandars. On a World Service News Bulletin.

He is a regular on many of the BBC’s stations including Radio Two. In fact you may have heard people trying to make his toes tap. When Sara Cox is covering the Breakfast Show for Chris Evans. Not only is he brilliant at his job. But he is a really nice person to.

I also walked straight past the radio legend that is Simon Mayo in the office the other day. I was desperate to chat to him about Tottenham’s season so far. But as I do not actually know him. I just settled for a knowing nod and a smile, as he went by.

My final recent BBC celebrity spot was the brilliant Huw Edwards in the staff canteen. Enjoying some food before the big evening news show’s.

I am looking forward to seeing Sunny Afternoon at the theatre in London. It is another one of those shows. Where you already know the songs are ace before you go. It is based around all the music of The Kinks.

I believe it is kind of the story of how the band were formed as well. A bit like the English version of The Jersey Boys. I will let you know what I thought about it next time we speak.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil.

Neil Quigley

Tag Archives: The One Show

Drinking In A Winter Wonderland

Healthy Fun

Racing Away

Neil Quigley Presenter