To think I was targeted as a child at a tv show

[mademewonder]

This has only dawned on me as a possibility last night around 30 years or so down the line. I don't know if I'm BU to think it was anything but innocent or if others might've had similar experiences.

Background:

As a child (11/12 years old) I went with 2 friends and one of their parents to watch a live filming of a very popular prime time show. There were gaps in filming and we were allowed by friends parents to go for a wander round the arena and I suppose, buy souvenirs and drinks etc in the breaks.

Me and my two friends were approached inside the arena concourse by two men and they asked if we were there just the three of us. My friend lied and said yes we were (pretending to be all grown up).

At this point he gave us 3 backstage passes to meet the stars of the show and said to give a message to one of them. He claimed he was the flatmate of this man and to pass a message on that he couldn't make it.

After the show we went to the backstage area and a bit of a row ensued because friends mum and young sibling were with us. Friends mum demanded to be let in with us and she was.

I can't help wondering if something more sinister was going on though. The man we took the message to seemed quite irritated in general and what are the chances that we actually did bump into a "flatmate" inside the arena dishing out backstage passes? Surely he'd just give him a message himself?

Does this sound dodgy?

I'm more amazed at people who can't remember things that happened when they were younger. I can remember vivid details about all sorts of things from my childhood and teenage years. Ice forgotten loads of stuff too obviously, but it's pretty normal to have memories of certain things, and sometimes something prompts you to think of something that you haven't given any thought to for a long time.

Sounds very dodgy and I’m not in the least surprised you’d remember it years later. Anomalous stuff like that tends to stick.

@MilkTrayLimeBarrel - why wouldn't she remember? I don't remember a dull Tuesday afternoon from 30 years ago but I remember lots of details about shows I went to, holidays, parties, etc. It probably wasn't an every day occurrence to go backstage and meet 'celebrities'

Yes sounds dodgy AF.

I remember something's very clearly from when I was 3 and my mum had a stillbirth. It's very clear. The ways the doors swung in the hospital. The weather, everything. Because I was looking forward to meeting my sibling and only mum came out of the hospital

Sounds very dodgy.

I’m amazed people think this is an unusually vivid memory. I have detailed memories from 30 years ago, and I was 3. I can remember exactly what my nursery looked like- the layout of the room, the view out of the window, the photos on the wall. I don’t think that’s unusual. There’s nothing at all remarkable about the level of OP’s memory, especially considering she was 11/12.

I had something similar happen when I was about 15/16 - was involved in a TV show where there was a group of about 15 young people contributing as 'on stage audience'. We did 10 shows and there was a different celeb each week as a guest.
There was one particular guest one week who targeted all the girls in the pre-show break, asking what people's plans were afterwards/ did anyone want a lift/ to go for a drink etc. The show producers couldn't give a f*ck and some people went off with them afterwards!
This was the early 80s.

Lots of awful stuff going on in those days. No safeguarding etc.

Sounds very likely you were targeted OP. Thank goodness friend's mum was actually there and say enough to insist on accompanying you. Now I want to know what show it was?!

You probably remembered because you realised instinctively that something was off.

I'm sure the friends mum did as well but would not have wanted to share her concerns with you.

Definitely dodgy! Why would a grown man ask three random kids to relay a message if it weren't code for "we're on our own". Well done that friend's mum. Chilling.

I'm also not surprised that you can remember this detail from that long ago. I'm a similar age and weird/random/uneasy things like this do suddenly come back from time to time.

Agree it sounded dodgy. Lucky escape.

I'm just amazed you could remember something so specific that happened so long ago. I only have vague memories of that age

Well aren’t you lucky nothing sinister happened to you that you still have the fear to remember it by?

I can’t remember what I had for breakfast most days but I still remember how uncomfortable I felt- age 8- walking onto the stage at our village hall to get my present from Santa and him asking if I was going to give him a kiss. I shook my head (shy child) then, in mock outrage he said “you’re not going to give Santa a kiss when I’m giving you a present?” So I felt I had no choice but to lean forward and kiss him- he moved so it was on his lips. It was a small village. I don’t know who he was because his face was hidden by the beard and hood, HE would have known me. It felt so very wron.

I’m early 40’s and whenever I think of this I shudder. A couple of decades later a man (T) was sent to prison as a paedophile. I often wonder if it was him, his wife taught us kids in the village school.

OP YANBU. Thank god for that parent looking out for you all.

#wrong not wron

Agree that it's dodgy.

And it's not surprising at all that someone would remember this vividly- it would be quite a big thing for a 12-year-old to go to a live recording of a TV show and be invited backstage to meet the stars of the show.

I remember reading select or q magazine which had a feature about manic street preacher groupies. The band seemed so proud of having them. Bloody awful really. Will have to see if i can find it.

It sounds odd.

I’m guessing something like Gladiators. I worked for the NIA at that time and I can’t imagine how random kids could be allowed backstage there were security everywhere.

You remember these things that dont seem right but you are too young to understand. I remember being 11 and walking home from a party alone (in the daytime and it was a small town so quite the norm back then), heard a man shout behind me and I thought I heard my name so looked around and a man was leaning out of a house I'd just walked past and was saying to me "hiya, I know your dad love do you want to come in for a brew". Usually I was a people pleaser and was quite a trusting child but thought better of it and scuttled home.
I remembered it randomly years later and mentioned it in passing to my dad and he said he didn't know anyone living in that area. Makes me feel a bit sick about what his intentions might had been if I'd been naive enough to say yes.
That was over 20 years ago and I remember it like yesterday

Well done to friend's mum.

Unfortunately it wouldn't be at all surprising that you were being targeted. As we know now this was happening a lot in the BBC and a blind eye was routinely turned when the big stars behaved abusively. Savile was not the only one.

My first thought was Gladiators as well. I can't imagine kids being allowed to romeabout inside a TV studio, but obviously Gladiators was filmed in an arena.

Sounds really off to me: lucky escape!

I find it weird that posters find it weird that you can remember events from decades ago. I remember my fourth birthday like it was yesterday - I’m 49 now

Definately creepy. Very sensible of your friend's Mum.

I grew up.in a more sexist country and I really clearly remember being 12 or 13 being leered on, with creepy comments from old men.

The past is a foreign country, but i do worry that young female teens nowadays have similar experiences.

Was it Jim'll fix it????

Tell us the show! For some reason I'm thinking Crackerjack!

Amazing how you can remember such vivid detail from over 30 years ago!

I can walk you room by room including placement of furniture from a house I lived in 45 years ago.

Did you say anything at the time?