A record 13.1m million viewers tuned in to the Strictly Come Dancing final on Saturday to see Joe McFadden win the glitterball trophy.
Just 600 got to see him do it live. That’s the capacity for the audience in the studio where the BBC show is filmed in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire – in a hanger next to the Big Brother house (with the exception of course of one show which is broadcast from the Blackpool Ballroom).
A seat in the audience is so hard to come by, even gaining a ticket doesn’t guarantee you’re entry – unless you’re famous or related to a dancer.
You can obtain one via the BBC website, and they share details on when they are available via Twitter and a newsletter you can sign up for.
Those who do have a ticket have to queue on Saturday morning to get in and not everyone does as the BBC deliberately issue more tickets than they can accommodate to ensure there are no empty seats.
As a result, many go away disappointed but one reporter from the Huffington Post was lucky enough to gain entry and has now shared some of the show’s behind the scenes secrets, such as just where does Tess Daly disappear to when the dances are being performed?
And why does it take so long for the judges to reveal their scores?
The answer to the first question is that when the Strictly ballroom is built in the hanger, a special pillar is put in place to hide Tess.
This means she can seamlessly do her link, then disappear out of sight while the dancer perform, then reappear as if by magic to welcome them over to hear their feedback from the judges.
Read more: Tess Daly admits marriage to Vernon Kay is still a ‘work in progress’
Despite the dance taking place inches away from her, Tess has to watch it on a monitor, also hidden behind her pillar, so she remains out of sight.
It’s the same for Claudia Winkleman who stands on a balcony above the dance floor for the majority of the show.
Rather than peer down during the performances, she is provided with a monitor to watch them on.
The reason she then has to fill so much time talking to the celebrities and their partners before they find out their scores is because the judges first have to tell the crew what they have decided.
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