So on an exceedingly bitter cold February 23rd, dressed in all manner of thermals (including my faithful Kermit Onesie) and goodness knows how many layers of clothing I made the one or so hour trip up from Southend to London to see Rae Morris perform, funnyman Dara OBriain and of course meet Eric again at the BBCS The One Show.
I was up there for a number of hours in the bitter cold British air, and even with the amount of layers on I was still kind of cold, was interesting as always to see the crew at work on sorting out the piano that was going to be used by Rae and how everything is put into place for it to happen.
Because I thought it would be cool to get Eric to hold my Fozzie Doll I took Fozzie up with me and my Intuition had also told me to take both my Kermit Muppet and Miss Piggy Doll up as well and they were in my rucksack nice and toasty warm away from all the cold and the elements, Fozzie was in my carrier bag which was where I had my album for Rae to sign and something for Dara to sign too. A few hours later Rae had turned up she was so lovely to meet and kindly personalised her album ‘Someone Out There’ then posed for a selfie, just before she went inside she kindly advised me to get warm (which was very sweet of her) sometime later she had come out to do her rehearsal/soundcheck which was really beautiful to hear…
And just as she had finished, a large group of people had arrived at the studio with all kinds of interesting looking containers, I spotted Eric straight away and it meant a lot to me that he remembered me from the last time I saw him, we had a brief chat and he was a friendly as always we took a normal selfie, and then I took Fozzie out of my carrier bag and kindly asked him to hold my Fozzie which he did so I was over the moon my Fozzie has now (in effect) been performed (kind of) by Eric!
At one point a researcher from the Beeb came out and could see I was a fan of the Muppets and asked if I had any Muppets that they (The One Show) could use? I went to my rucksack and took out both Kermit and Miss Piggy to which Matts response was very enthusiastic, he told me that they wanted to use them for a prerecorded segment in the show and that they would be held/otherwise used by the onscreen talent which I was very happy with although I did explain to Matt that my Kermit Muppet was briefly performed by Steve (Whitmire) in 2014 and then in 2015 by Louise (Gold) and as such have never taken out the two bits of plastic bag stuffing as I like to keep Kermit immaculate, he assured me that they would be very careful with Kermit and Miss Piggy so Matt then went inside (Kermit and Miss Piggy didn’t need to sign in nor even get any kind of security pass LOLZ)
Short time later funnyman Dara O Briain arrived and we got a selfie together, and as I handed him my large Bourbon biscuit (tin) I asked ‘Have you ever signed a large Bourbon before?’ his response clearly let me know this was his first time to.
At around 18:33 Eric came out with Rae and the cameras were set up to film a prerecorded segment that was to be played in a short time later during the live broadcast, it was Rae starting to play the first few lyrics from her song ‘Someone Out There’, Eric got himself into position to sit on a small stool behind the drum kit with a prerecorded sound of drumming, I managed to get video footage of this even though it was bitterly cold and very windy, would loved to have been a fly on the wall hearing what Eric was saying to Rae before they started filming, but it was so enjoyable to see Eric perform Animal and so up close - after the Director was happy with the second take with the words ‘Thats the one!’ I had a brief chat with Eric who hoped I enjoyed what I saw - which I so did.
The crew then went back inside where Eric would be performing Fozzie live, during this all those inside at the Beeb had spoken to the researcher about helping me out as I helped them out lending them my Kermit and Miss Piggy and the Producers had been speaking to each other, the wind was really picking up and unfortunately the audience that should have been there for Rae wasn’t what it could have been due to the cold, it was nice seeing Rae perform live and how the prerecorded segment with Animal was blended in seamlessly.
It was just after Raes live performance that Matt, the researcher came out and said to me that I would be allowed to go into the BBCS The One Show Studio, so I went into reception and was told what was gonna happen I was introduced to the lady at the desk who asked me for some photo id to prove my name then had to look into the camera mounted on the desk so my photo could be taken and thus was given an ID pass whilst this was happening I saw Eric making his way out and we both smiled at each other, Matt then escorted me through the swivel doors and then into Studio V (The One Show Studio) on the way in I passed One Show Presenter Alex Jones, so that was kind of a moment.
I then walked down the corridor and through a normal door and then I found myself actually being in the One Show Studio, my time in there was brief (as the crew were packing the equipment away and thus were very busy) but monumental, Matt let me sit on the iconic One Show sofa (I took Kermit, Miss Piggy and Fozzie out of my rucksack as after all its only because of them that I got to be in this position) then climbed up (cos obviously the One Show sofa was several feet of the ground to allow Eric to perform Fozzie and next to where Eric had performed Fozzie there was a space that Dara had sat on) Matt took several pictures of me, then handed my iphone back to me where I took a few selfies then some pov pictures of the Studio taking in all my surroundings.
Once I came out of the Studio Matt told me how my Muppets were used and how when I saw it they were put into the final show, coming out of the Beeb I put Kermit, Piggy and Fozzie into my rucksack then took a pic of me outside the Beeb with my pass then made my merry way back to Oxford Circus Station then back home. Admittedly on the train back I checked out the One Show on iplayer and was amazed at the big Muppet Show sequence they did with the theme music and how Kermit and Piggy was used especially with the final shot of Dara blowing the party popper with Miss Piggy and Kermit next to him :)
This blogpost is dedicated to my beloved #Catwoman Fiancee who everyday makes me realise I’m the luckiest man alive and encourages to embrace every available opportunity its because of her that this wonderful dose of happiness occurred on Friday.
I’d also like to thank Eric Jacobson for his wonderful talent and letting me see first hand one of THE most craziest Muppets being performed, the lovely Rae Morris for her wonderful interplay with Animal, Dara O Briain, Alex Jones and Dev.
And finally a MASSIVE HUGE THANK YOU to Matt (the researcher from the B.B.C.) who made it so that my Kermit & Miss Piggy Doll were broadcast live to the nation, escorting me into the Studio so kindly, and the producers and all those within the chain of command who allowed this very proud TV licence fee payer the opportunity to go inside the B.B.C. One Show Studio.
- King Richard
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