Episode #14.6
- Episode aired Dec 12, 1990
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Des suffers anxious moments behind the scenes as star guest Whitney Houston gets ready to leave when she can't go on first. The segment is eventually pre-recorded and the show put together a... Read allDes suffers anxious moments behind the scenes as star guest Whitney Houston gets ready to leave when she can't go on first. The segment is eventually pre-recorded and the show put together as a patchwork in the editing suite.Des suffers anxious moments behind the scenes as star guest Whitney Houston gets ready to leave when she can't go on first. The segment is eventually pre-recorded and the show put together as a patchwork in the editing suite.
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- TriviaDes O'Connor recalled significant difficulties with Whitney Houston in his 2001 autobiography "Bananas can't fly!"
Des wrote: "I was delighted when Whitney Houston's management asked if she could be on the show. I have always rated Whitney as one of the great singers. She has a magnificent voice. Her booking was confirmed on the basis that she would sing two songs and have a chat with me. At that time we ran the show a bit like a theatre show, saving the biggest star till last to keep the audience on a high all evening. So that was the plan with Whitney, and she was scheduled to appear at around 9.30 p.m.
About half an hour before the show, Brian Penders, our director, was informed that Whitney wanted to go on first. Brian and I decided that it was too late in the day to rearrange the running order and Brian politely told Whitney's management that she would have to stick to the schedule.
Again Brian patiently explained that this would cause all sorts of upheaval at such short notice. However, he promised to do all he could to get Whitney on set as early as possible. This time the response was brief and to the point. 'If Miss Houston doesn't go on first, she won't be going on at all.'
Brian and I assessed the situation. It was almost impossible to change the running order minutes before a show. The sets were stored outside the studio, lighting changes had been arranged in computers. In any case, we felt it would be unfair on the other guests to have to follow Whitney. I said to Brian: 'Let's call her bluff. She has flown over from LA just to do this show and promote her new single. She won't want to miss out now on the chance to sing the song for twelve million viewers.'
Brian agreed. He sent a message back saying that we would be very disappointed if Miss Houston did not appear, but we had the whole show to consider, so we were afraid we could not accommodate a change of the running order at this late stage. We started recording the show at 7.30 p.m. I had delivered my opening gags to a lively crowd and was just about to introduce the first guest when the floor manager held up a cue board on which was written: 'Des - thought you ought to know Miss Houston is in the car park. Much love, Brian.'
I announced that we would now have a very short break and called for Ted Robbins, our wonderful warm-up man, to take over for a few minutes. Off stage, I found Brian, who had come down from the control box. 'What are we going to do, Des?' 'Well, I don't want to lose her, and the crowd will be very disappointed.' 'OK, but we will have to tape the segment with the set as it is. It's not going to look as good as it would have done.'
'Brian, they want to see Whitney, not the set. Can you cope?' 'You know me, but I will have to stay in closer than usual.' 'It won't matter. She's a good-looking girl. Let's do it.'
Whitney was on set in just over ten minutes. The crowd were thrilled to see her. They yelled their heads off, she beamed a dazzling Whitney smile back at them, and then, out of the side of her mouth, she said to me, 'No chat, just the songs.' Out of the side of my mouth, I replied: 'You'll have to say hello to me between the songs. The band are expecting an interview, and they won't have your music ready.'
With that, I announced her first number. At the end of the song I walked over to her, told her the song was great, which it was, and immediately announced her second number. She gave a brilliant performance that nearly lifted the roof. The crowd just loved her. Ten minutes later, she was in her limo on the way back to London and dinner. The change in the running order did cause a deal of mayhem that night, and yes, it probably was a little unfair on the other guests, but if we were going to give them Whitney at all, we didn't have much choice. Terrific though she was, I thought to myself, I won't mind that much if Miss Houston doesn't do the show again."
- ConnectionsReferences Wogan (1982)
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