live from the BBC Television Centre at White City!

Live from the BBC Television Centre at White City!

Sunday night was a rare opportunity to be part of a TV audience inside a pilot show to be filmed at the BBC Television Centre in London. This show was a spin-off of the Colin and Edith radio programme. It’s completely unscripted and boy does it show. Fortunately there was the promise of live music from We Are Scientists, The Zutons and Jim Noir to liven up the proceedings. Out of all these acts, I was most excited about The Zutons - the last time I saw them was supporting Muse at Earl's Court in December 2004.

In front of a fairly intimate audience – no more than 150 or so – there were two makeshift stages constructed for the performing bands. We Are Scientists set the ball rolling to liven the crowd up a bit. Then it’s over to The Zutons for another great song, the title of which escapes my stupid brain. But before we get to any recognisable Zutons songs we’ve heard on the radio, we first have to sit through a good deal of the show first.

Presumably aimed at townies and E4-watching teen types, the show aims to be quirky, funny, irreverent, and the odd random video clip thrown in, including some relationship advice from Chas n’ Dave and a documentary-style on the road clip concerning a tribute band called Greenish Day, with whose second guitarist I was nattering away with outside before the show started.

The problem with the show wasn’t the live music, but actually with Colin. I’ve never seen a more boring twat in my life. Without his glasses, he bears an uncanny resemblance to Thomas Ian Nicholas, who played Kevin in the American Pie films. After a guest appearance from Dave Gorman, (who???) there’s thankfully a short toilet break in-between camera adjustments, and then some more live music.

Jim Noir is nowhere to be seen, so with gusto the Zutons launch into You Will You Won’t, which is surely their most widely known song to date. It goes down well with the crowd, but in the background Colin is still moaning about the Zutons moaning about their stage lights. Apparently they look too much like Coldplay. (That is - the stage lights, not the Zuton personnel.)

My overall conclusion is that a hell of a lot more work needs to be done on this show if it is to enjoy any degree of success. True comedic moments are few and far between, and unscripted shows only work if the presenters are well prepared and willing to create an ‘anything goes’ atmosphere. Unfortunately both these elements were sadly lacking. A decent plus point, however, was getting to hang out with We Are Scientists backstage after the show. They didn’t seem to know what the hell was going on during the actual filming, but at least the bassist look pleased when I complimented them.

So what lessons have I learnt about tonight?

1. We Are Scientists have good/expensive taste in red wine.

2. A load of horny 14 year old guys appreciated the girl in the Zutons wearing a short skirt.

3. Colin doesn't like Scousers.

4. If this is the pinnacle of townie entertainment, then I feel really sorry for them!

5. Greenish Day are from Southampton and are actually cooler than Colin, Edith and Dave put together. Hahaha.

Live music – 8/10
Actual tv show – 4/10