BBC Studios and Post Production provided full technical services and crew for the live Olympic Torch segment in Monday night’s episode of EastEnders. The long-awaited scene saw the character of Billy Mitchell, played by Perry Fenwick, carry the real Olympic Torch through the iconic set of Albert Square in Elstree, Borehamwood. Planning for the nine-minute segment took a number of months and the team carried out multiple run-throughs to ensure everything went off without a hitch. Due to an increased demand for OB units because of the Olympic Games, BBC Studios and Post Production pulled in a high-spec OB unit from Northern Ireland via SIS, to help deliver the live segment. 19 fibre Sony HDC-1500 cameras were positioned at different locations around Albert Square and a quad bike with a radio camera was used to follow the torch. A steadicam was also placed in front of Billy to follow him on his journey down Bridge Street and around Albert Square, and a 30-foot Super Scorpio Telescopic camera crane was used to shoot the scene from above. Additionally, 23 radio microphones were placed on cast members scattered around the set and 50 effects microphones were strategically positioned to add various sound effects. Before last night’s episode cut to the live set, the crew used a 35-metre truck-mounted aerial platform to mount the radio camera aerials and position the lighting to cope with the fading sun. John O’Callaghan, head of Drama Services at BBC Studios and Post Production, said: “We’re delighted to have played a key part in yet another successful live EastEnders. To be able to deliver a live event on this scale was a great honour and the crew were certainly on a high when the torch and its security team came onto the set. I’d like to thank everyone involved for their fantastic work in making this great television moment come to life.” www.bbcstudiosandpostproduction.com
