Brian Conley talking with two young Pavilion performers during filming — Behind the scenes at Gorleston Pavilion Theatre

Production case study · Factual television

BBC's The One Show: VE Day 80

A BBC crew joined Brian Conley at the Pavilion to film a feature about the theatre's community-led VE Day 80 production.

Filmed 2025
Presented by Brian Conley
BBC One
VE Day 80 feature

Watch The One Show feature

Brian Conley with the Pavilion cast after filming for The One Show — Brian Conley with members of the Pavilion cast after filming the VE Day 80 feature. Photograph courtesy of Gorleston Pavilion Theatre.

A national spotlight on a community production

The One Show team spent the day filming inside the Pavilion as Brian Conley met performers and explored the theatre's sold-out VE Day 80 anniversary production. Interviews in the auditorium were paired with performance sequences on stage, giving the feature both personal stories and a sense of the full community event.

The location supported several visual set-ups without losing the theatre's character. The crew could frame intimate conversations against the auditorium, then move to clear camera positions for wide and close stage coverage. The Pavilion's proscenium and in-house lighting supplied a distinctive, broadcast-ready setting.

The feature reflected the breadth of the anniversary production, which brought together Pavilion performers, young people and local music groups. It connected national remembrance with the people making live performance in Gorleston.

Read and watch the story

Pavilion TheatreGorleston Pavilion featured on BBC's The One ShowRead the original announcement about the VE Day 80 television feature.Read or watch the story →

Behind the scenes

Inside The One Show shoot

Eight distinct highlights from the day, selected for strong expressions, clear production detail, varied angles and the Pavilion's finished stage lighting.

The Pavilion community cast rehearsing together on stage — The community cast rehearses on stage before The One Show cameras begin filming.

Brian Conley and young performers being filmed in the Pavilion auditorium — The auditorium becomes an interview set, with the stage and theatre architecture still visible beyond.

Brian Conley talking to two young Pavilion performers on camera — Brian Conley talks with two young performers during the VE Day 80 feature.

A BBC camera filming a VE Day performance on the Pavilion stage — A wide auditorium view gives the crew a clear line to the full stage performance.

Brian Conley in RAF costume performing with the VE Day ensemble — Brian Conley joins the ensemble beneath the finished red, white and blue lighting state.

A camera operator filming performers on the Pavilion stage — The flat auditorium floor provides practical positions for close performance coverage.

The VE Day cast performing beneath colourful Pavilion stage lighting — The Pavilion's proscenium and lighting frame the production as a complete television image.

The VE Day ensemble performing a choreographed number on stage — A lively ensemble sequence brings together the cast, staging and broadcast lighting.

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