When Sterling Television who make the iconic documentary series, Jigs and Wigs for BBC Television called Brian Moore to ask if they could film the Innova Dance Troupe at the NW200, he presumed they meant a slot on the Hospitality Marquee but he was very, very wrong.
This was the act that wowed Britain’s Got Talent and just as they’d put a whole new slant on Irish Dancing so too did they have adventurous ideas about the NW200 – they wanted to perform on the Starting Grid. “I thought they were nuts and that it just wouldn’t be possible but I set up a meeting with Mervyn Whyte and to my astonishment he went for it. As Race Director he’s always looking at new angles and he thought this was great in that people see the event all over the world. Given that he’s got a multitude of tasks already on the day I really admired his positive reaction to the request”.
Setting the slot up proved something of a logistical nightmare as the film crew had to be in position prior to the races going live, a special surface laid on the tarmac, the girls escorted onto the track and a van with a sound system reversed on to the grid for their music. As soon as the BBC’s Steven Watson announced to the world that the races were live the music started, the girls danced and the grid was cleared and all in less than five minutes!
The results can be seen on BBC1 on Monday 1st February.
