BOYZONE'S DAY AT
TOP OF THE POPS
8.45am
Brrring! Alarm calls for all the boyz. "If
you thought we were up at the crack of dawn for our breakfast TV appearance
this morning you were wrong!" laughs Ro. "We pre-recorded the
performance yesterday!"
10am
The Boyz zoom down the Thames on a police
launch! "We have to do some filming in Buckinghamshire," explains
Stephen, "and it's the fastest way to get us there so we're back in
time for TOTP!"
2.30pm
Arrive at the show! Stephen and Ro shout hellos
down the corridor at some blokes holding trombones and trumpets. It turns
out they're part of Boyzone's backing band because, for the first time
ever, the Boyz are playing the show completely live. An even-browner-than-usual
Keith follows quietly behind. "Ohhh, I've not slept for three days,"
he wibbles. "I've been on holiday in the Caribbean and have been travelling
back since Monday!" Mmmm, strange that Keith, considering it only
takes eight hours to fly back from Barbados.
2.32pm
Strange bloke with dreads arrives. Everyone
ignores him. One minute later Boyz realise strange bloke with dreads is
actually Shane. Hugs aplenty all round. "It's me real hair, honest!"
he grins. "Hey, cool!" says Shaggy, who's just done a turn in
the studio. "I'd love a hat like that."
2.45
Boyzone pile on stage to rehearse Picture
Of You. Stephen practises tricks with full glasses of water and there's
general mischife making from the others. "Not me!" squeals Mikey.
"I never get up to mischife!" Yes, and Stephen never spills a
drop of water! Hmmm.
3.30pm
Thumbs up from the TOTP producer means
the lads are free to rush off for a quick TV interview with the O-Zone,
which is to be filmed in a mock-up of Eastenders Dot Cotton's
lounge. "Oh, can I come?" asks Shaggy longingly.
5.30pm
After signing autographs at the gate, Keith
disappears for a haircut. "I'd be ashamed to appear on TV without
a trim!" he cackles.
6pm
A huge nosh-up ( except for Stephen ) in the
BBC canteen is followed by a quick trip to the TOTP bar, which results
in Stephen bumping into Noal Gallagher at the bar. He returns to the Boyzone
table with a huge grin on his face and a selection of rather rude jokes.
"Did I tell you the one about......?" Ahem.
8pm
Time for a quick band photo before the boys
are due on stage. "Hey, can I have my picture taken with you?"
says Shaggy who happens to be hanging out in the corridor. Unfortch, Mikey
has popped of to the loo, so a Shaggy friend steps in to fill his place.
( Either that or Mikey has sprouted some hir extensions! )
10pm
Phew! The performance is a success and the
lads leave for a quiet night in - except Ro who's off to see his old mate
Del Amitri in concert. "I havn't seen them in ages," he grins.
After several hours spent catching up on old times, Ronan shuffles back
to his hotel mumbling something about an early morning TV call. Bah! Bet
it was a pre-record!