Top Of The Pops
with
Ronan & Stephen
It's non-stop mayhem for Steve and Ro when they present the show! Steve gets the scary job of keeping the golden microphone finerprint-free while Ro has the even scarier task of being Keith Prodge!
8am
It's rise and shine for the sleepy twosome, the lads were in Sheffield
last night and arrived in London in the early hours. There's no lie-in
because Ro and Steve have to film bits and pieces for another show before
presenting TOTP!
1pm
Steve and Ro arrive at the main gates of BBC Elstree to find loads of girls
already squished up against the security barriers, it's going to be a busy
day!
1.05pm
Tour manager Mark collects the keys from reception, then everyone heads
straight off for dressing room19. It feels very strange to be at TOTP without
the rest of the Boyz but, hey, "the show must go on", says steve.
1.30pm
Producer Ric dishes out shooting scripts and tries to reassure a certain
panic-stricken young lad. "Ooh, I'm sooo nervous!" wibbles Steve,
before rushing off to memorise every line.
4pm
First call for the run through. Steve and Ro breeze through with no probs.
Between takes Steve wanders around showing off the TOTP golden microphone.
"See how heavy it is," he says. "But be careful not to get
fingerprints on it!" Later we spot him polishing it on his shirt!
4.30pm
The Dunblane children take the stage. Steve stands in the middleof the
group for a chat, and almost getslost cos the kids are taller than him!
Our hosts watch the rendition of Knocking On Heaven's Door in thoughtful
silence.
4.45pm
photo opporyunity! Steve stands on a box behind the stage to have his pics
taken, while Ro relaxes in front. "I'm not nervous," boasts Ronan.
"If it went out live, then I'd worry!" ( You just wait until
later, Ronan m'lad. )
4.50
Steve finds a new micropnone trick, trying to persuade poor passers by
to say incriminating things over the mic so it'll boom out around the studio.
it doesn't work.
5.15pm
Mark frog-marches his charges to the canteen. it's the only way they're
gonna get time to eat!
6.20pm
After a nosh-up, Ro and Steve disappear into make up. The door closes,
and a, "tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be..." transformation
takes place. Boyz In Their Eyes just wasn't enough for them, obv!
6.30pm
A very dapper Steve reappears, trying to explain Ronan's transformation,
"he's like...and his hair is...and then..." Right.
6.50pm
Arrghh! There's a scary man wandering around! It's... gulp, Ro dressed
as Keith Prodigy as his tribute to the week's No.1 band. Even more scary
is the fact that he's getting into character, stamping around and ranting
at the side of the stage, growling and giving everyone evil looks.
6.51pm
Ro's mouth crinkles at the corners and he starts grinning. Phew! We were
a bit worried for a moment then! "It's great, innit?" he laughs.
"I like my nose ring!" Not so scary now, heh Ro?
6.55pm
The trail is recorded. Ro looks suitably scary for a whole five minutes.
then he races back round to make up for the scariest moment of the day...
6.56pm
...Which is pulling the hair back off! Arrghhh! And the gallons of eye
make up remover that's needed strings too!
7pm
A freshly-scrubbed Ro reappears for a final recording and everything goes
smoothly. Steve and Ro sit around for a bit and chat to 3T who are pre-recording
their single for next week's show.
8.30pm
After waving goodbye to the crowds outside Steve and Ro are off. Meanwhile,
two scary-looking blokes hovering around outside trying to get Keith Prodigy's
autograph, perhaps someone should have told them!