Inside the BBC’s Elstree Studios
Working behind the scenes on the iconic BBC music program Top of the Pops during the 1990s and 2000s meant navigating a uniquely dated television environment. Gareth Davies, who served as an assistant floor manager on the show, has detailed the reality of filming at Elstree Studios. The location was where EastEnders was shot and Grange Hill was filmed there too, but the traditional BBC studio had not been updated for years.
Instead of sleek corporate amenities, the space featured classic dressing rooms and an old-school canteen serving no-frills British fry-ups. This quirk of geography led to surreal encounters. Because international and American artists often arrived expecting the heart of London, finding themselves on the quiet outskirts created wonderfully random moments where major pop stars sat near soapstar legends during breakfast.
Jennifer Lopez and Shania Twain’s Demands
Some global megastars brought elaborate requirements to the lot. Jennifer Lopez stood out for her complete dressing room transformation. As Davies recalled, she had plastic sheeting put up everywhere instead so her room was covered from top to bottom, creating an all-white environment.
Shania Twain arrived with an equally striking setup. She traveled with a really large entourage that utilized a choreographed system where someone would always be one step ahead holding it open for her so she didn’t open doors while walking from the dressing rooms to the studio.
Janet Jackson’s Down-to-Earth Approach
Not every global icon required a massive production behind the scenes. Davies highlighted Janet Jackson as a particularly down-to-earth artist who surprised crew members with her relaxed demeanor.
Studio floor staff waited quite a long time for Janet to arrive.
The Spice Girls and 90s Pop History
First broadcast on the BBC on New Year’s Day in 1964, it ran for over four decades before airing its final episode twenty years ago in 2006, the show welcomed legendary acts ranging from The Beatles and David Bowie to Britney Spears, Madonna, and the Spice Girls at Elstree Studios. Working on the floor throughout the mid to late 90s gave Davies an early look at rising pop culture history.
He shared that Top of the Pops offered a unique communal atmosphere because artists often rehearsed at ten in the morning and then we wouldn’t record until seven in the evening. This long wait time allowed performers to mingle in the hallways, offering crew members a front-row seat to the exact era when acts like the Spice Girls transformed into a global phenomenon.
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