Got Graham Norton Show Tickets? Here’s How To Actually Get Inside the 1st Time

Looking to get Graham Norton Show tickets?

Or do you already have them, and are wondering what the entry process looks like? 

Here’s the thing: just because you have tickets for the Graham Norton Show doesn’t mean you’ll get it inside. Tickets don’t guarantee entry.

I learned this the hard way, so I’m here to share all my tips for tickets and queueing so you don’t waste your valuable London time.

Graham Norton is one of the most popular shows filmed in London, so getting into the audience can be a bit tricky. So many people request tickets and wait in the queues that it can be really hard to make it inside!

Read on to find out all my tips for getting into the show and how to prepare the the queue.

How to Get Graham Norton Show Tickets

To get tickets for the Graham Norton Show, apply for audience tickets through SRO Audiences.

Filming almost always happens on Thursday evenings (unless it’s a special episode), and the show airs the following day.

Tickets are usually released 30 days in advance.

Be thoughtful when you fill out the form, as you won’t be able to change your answers later.

Tickets for Graham Norton Show Application Tips:

1. You can choose up to 4 people, but you must write their names in the form when you apply. You can’t change who attends later – their name must match their ID.
2. No under 18s. 
3. You can choose any date that’s listed, but you might not get your first choice (I didn’t). 
4. ‘Waitlist’ shows will be extra hard to get into. Try not to choose a waitlisted show.
5. Just wait! You may get an email close to the date, or you may not. 

How to Choose a Date: Who are the Celebrity Guests?

If you want to figure out which show you’d most like to see, check the guest lineup if it’s available.

These are usually released 2 weeks to a month ahead, and are displayed on BBC’s upcoming broadcast page.

Keep in mind that schedules change and the guests listed might not be the guests you get to see.

Types of Tickets for Graham Norton Show

If you do score a ticket, the email will arrive a day or two before filming. You’ll have to act quickly and rearrange your schedule.

When you email arrives (if it does arrive!), note if you have a PRIORITY ticket or a REGULAR ticket (regular tickets don’t say “Priority” anywhere).

With the priority ticket, you have the best chance of getting in, but should still arrive early. 

With the regular ticket, you have the best chance of getting in if you’re at the front of the queue. That means arriving really early. 

How to Get a Priority Ticket

If you have a “red chair story” – and especially if it’s a really good one – you have a higher chance of getting a priority ticket.

There is a space in the ticket application to share your story.

Priority tickets are also given to ticket holders who waited and didn’t make it in before, so the number of priority ticket holders may be very high or very low for each show – there’s no way to know.

There is no surefire way to score a priority ticket.

When to Arrive: Priority Tickets Graham Norton Show

If you got a Priority Ticket in your email, it will come with a Call Time. This is the time you need to arrive by at the latest.

You will still have to queue to get a blue wristband, go through security, and – depending on how many other priority ticket holders show up – you still may not get in.

If you arrive after the call time, you will likely be turned away, as the entry process is methodical and highly organized.

I saw many priority ticket holders show up and get turned away because their group had already moved along in the queueing process.

When to Arrive: Regular Tickets for Graham Norton Show

If you got a regular ticket in your email, it will give these vague instructions (email pictured above).

With a regular ticket, you have the lowest chance of getting into the audience.

All priority ticket holders go first, and depending on how many of them show up, you may not even get far enough to get a numbered orange wristband.

For a celebrity panel that has mega-stars, the queues will start VERY early.

For Taylor Swift, for example, both regular and priority ticket holders queued up at least 24 hours before.

For a less well-known panel, you can arrive at the times listed in the graphic above.

Here are my suggestions, but keep in mind that even arriving early does not guarantee entry.

• Safest: arrive before 2:30
• Pretty Safe: arrive by 3:30
• Maybe Safe: arrive by 4:30
• Probably too late: arrive by 5:00
• Definitely too late: arrive by 5:15

Keep in mind that if there are a ton of priority ticket holders for your particular show, you may not make it in even if you’re there hours early.

How to Get to the Graham Norton Filming Studios

Graham Norton is filmed at BBC Studios’ Television Centre in Shepherds Bush. This is in West London, right across the street from the massive Westfield Shopping Centre.

The closest Underground station is Wood Lane, which serves the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines.

The next closest Underground station is White City, which is served by the Central Line.

The closest rail station is Shepherds Bush, which is served by Southern Rail and the Overground. It’s about a 15 minute walk to the Television Centre from that station.

On Arrival: Queuing

When you arrive to the Television Centre, you’ll see multiple sets of queues.

There are no signs for which line is which, so it can be a little confusing.

When you’re facing the Television Centre, the regular ticket queue will closest to the studios on the right, aligned with the circular benches and lamp posts.

The “priority” queue will be closest to Wood Lane, on the left.

The priority queue will move occasionally, and the regular queue will not.

Priority ticket holders will be periodically moved closer to the studios into different queues.

Regular ticket holders will stay in place until all the priority ticket holders have gone ahead.

When you arrive, get into your appropriate queue IMMEDIATELY.

This may make the difference between getting into the show and being turned away.

Once you’re in the queue, the studio team will come round and scan your ticket (have your QR code from your email ready).

They’re very friendly and efficient, and have enormous patience for organizing the crowds.

Graham Norton Ticket Queueing Process

Once you’re in your queue and your ticket has been scanned, it’s time to wait.

Depending on your ticket type, you’ll either be taken through security and then into the waiting area, or wait in the first queue for quite a while.

For security, your bags will be thoroughly checked and you’ll walk through a metal detector.

Queuing: What’s Nearby

If you’re in the regular queue and there’s more than one of you, you can (quickly) take turns using the facilities or grabbing a snack.

There are toilets inside the studio building next to the restaurants. Walk past Flying Horse Coffee (which sadly closes at 4pm), enter the building, and the loos are on your left (look for the wood-slatted walls).

In the front of the queue is The Broadcaster pub where you can quickly grab some crisps or a water.

A 5-minute walk away is a Tesco Express, which I would not recommend walking to during your queueing time. You may miss the line moving (and lose your spot), but you can stop there before you get into the queue when you first arrive.

I would recommend bringing water and a snack, as you may be waiting a while.

In my experience in the “regular” ticket queue, the line didn’t move until about 5:45 pm, so I would have been safe using the loo and grabbing food during my waiting time.

Your waiting time may be different than mine, so try to stay in the queue as much as you can.

What’s Allowed Inside

You’ve been waiting for hours, you have to pee, and you’re starving because it’s dinnertime.

Sadly, this is the reality of getting Graham Norton Show tickets!

Inside you’re only allowed to bring a plastic water bottle.

Food (even snacks) is not allowed, and there are no refreshments available inside.

You’re also not allowed to bring luggage (everything you bring in has to fit under your seat).

Be mindful of what you wear. You may be turned away if your shirt says “Nike” in huge letters, because of licensing issues.

Most television studios will also advise against busy patterns (especially stripes and florals), wearing all black, or wearing bright green.

Important Advice if You Get Tickets for the Graham Norton Show

My biggest piece of advice – after I stood in the cold wind starving for 2 hours – is to be prepared. You might not get in even if you have a ticket.

Here are some more tips:

• Come with a friend. That way if you’re waiting for hours, you can take turns going to the loo and grabbing food and water.
• Be prepared for all weather. There is no cover until you’re almost inside, so if it’s pouring, you’ll want an umbrella for sure.
• Use the toilet before you arrive – you never know when you’ll get to use it again.
• Eat beforehand.
• Bring a plastic water bottle.

My Experience Getting Tickets for Graham Norton Show

I didn’t know what to expect after I got my Graham Norton tickets, and the information the show gave was limited.

I don’t want you going in blind like I did, so here is my full experience including timing, queues, and making it inside (or, in my case, not making it inside).

Arrival: 4:30pm

My husband and I arrived at 4:30 – it was the earliest we could make it with work and childcare arrangements.

The show’s guests that evening were big stars, but not massively huge celebrities: Jodie Foster, Josh Brolin, Wanda Sykes, Olivia Colman, and more.

We were confused as to which queue was which, and didn’t even know priority tickets existed. Had we known, we would have tried to arrange an earlier arrival!

5:40pm: Still in the Same Spot

At 5:40, we were still standing in the same place.

All the priority ticket holders had been taken through security and were waiting in the pens alongside the studios, so our hope was dwindling.

5:55pm: Through Security!

By 5:55pm, we had gotten a little more optimistic as we had gone through security.

We then waited in one massive crowd in pens outside the studios. There seemed to be no discernable order, but we quickly found out why.

Ushers began calling out priority wristband numbers (blue wristbands), ten at a time. Those people went ahead into the studios.

Our numbers were in the 100s of orange wristbands, so our hope fell even further.

6:20pm: Getting Closer…Maybe?

By 6:20pm, we were a whole lot closer to the entrance, and they began calling out orange wristband numbers.

Finally it was our group! But our numbers were in the 100s, and they began calling 1-10, then 11-20 and so on.

There is no way to know how many people will be let in, so all we could do was cross our fingers.

6:30pm: The Let Down

At 6:30, the last numbers were called and we were finally told we wouldn’t make it inside.

On the way out, they scanned our tickets once again and told us that we’d get priority tickets for next time.

I did indeed get an email the next day, but next month’s tickets had not yet been released. I’ll have to check back later.

Lessons: What I’d Do Differently Next Time

1. I’d arrive really early – before 3pm for sure – especially if the previous week’s guests were very popular (this means that a lot of people probably are coming back with priority tickets).
2. In my “regular” ticket group, I was number 114. Only numbers 1 through 30 made it in for some pretty big names (Jodie Foster, Olivia Colman, etc.). If the stars are even bigger, I’d say that probably no regular ticket holders would make it in.
3. I would bring more food and more water. Had I known that the regular queue wouldn’t move for hours, I would have gone to the bathroom while my husband waited in line. By 6:30pm I was bursting and frantically looking for the loos.
4. I would have brought a scarf and hat, had I known how windy it would be and how little protection there was anywhere.

Graham Norton Show Tickets: Final Tips

Above all, arrive to the Graham Norton filming early, and arrive prepared to wait. Everything else is out of your control!

But on the bright side, if you don’t make it in you’ll get priority tickets for another date.

Have you made it inside the Graham Norton Show before? Have any tips or insider knowledge I can include here?

Please email me at Jen (at) London in Real Life (dot) com. I’d love to include anything that’s helpful for ticket holders to know.

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