UK - Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC’s flagship dance competition that has enthralled millions since its 2004 debut, relied on Shure to deliver audio and ensure that the musical performances could be enjoyed to the fullest. Filmed at Elstree Film Studios, Strictly Come Dancing features celebrities paired with professional dancers who compete weekly, showcasing their technical skill and emotional storytelling.
Behind the glamorous facade of sequined costumes, dramatic performances and music lies an intricate technical landscape in which audio technology plays a crucial role in capturing every moment. Thanks to its reliability, stability, control and quality, Axient Digital Wireless System was chosen by Terry Tew Sound and Light (TTSL) to be deployed across the show's complex production.
“Elstree Film Studios, with its multiple stages and studios, presents unique RF spectrum challenges which can be further exacerbated when a touring artist comes with their own touring sound system," explains Jonathan Edwards, head of RF for TTSL.
The technical team provided more than 72 receiver channels and 18 in-ear monitors for each show to manage the significant challenges a sophisticated audio setup like Strictly Come Dancing requires. The environment, saturated with LED screens and multiple broadcasting systems, creates a complex electromagnetic landscape that demands superior wireless solutions, making antenna placement, cable loss and gain makeup crucial.
The wireless setup included an impressive array of Shure equipment with AD4D Two-Channel Digital Wireless Receivers, Axient Digital handheld microphones, the Axient Digital AD600 Spectrum Manager, and PSM1000 In-Ear Monitoring System. Each component was carefully selected to ensure pristine audio transmission and solid RF in the challenging broadcast environment.
Richard Hawkins, RF Tech on the show for TTSL, highlighted the system's remarkable capabilities, particularly praising the AD600 Spectrum Manager and Shure’s Wireless Workbench software for providing unprecedented monitoring and management capabilities during every show.
"Our ability to scan and compare RF environments across dress rehearsals and live shows keeps us consistently ahead of potential issues, and being able to monitor the incoming RF from one screen makes it simple," Hawkins notes. The integration of Wavetool software enables real-time monitoring of battery levels, RF status, and link quality, allowing immediate technical adjustments throughout the production as couples exit or guest acts join.”
The TTSL team tested the new Axient Digital PSM In Ear Monitoring System on the show and found the coverage to be groundbreaking, with Hawkins, working alongside sound supervisors Richard Sillitto and Andy Tapley, stating: “It was incredible how positive the coverage was – the noise floor was better than anything else we’ve heard in the Strictly studio, and we very much look forward to using it in the future.”
Edwards highly commends the Shure team’s support over the years, especially from Peppe Mallozzi, Jack Drury, Stuart Moots and Tuomo Tolonen, and their commitment to the industry with comprehensive training programs that empower technical teams to navigate increasingly complex wireless landscapes. “Their educational seminars have become instrumental in ‘demystifying the dark arts of RF,’ ensuring that productions like Strictly Come Dancing can push the boundaries of live broadcasting technology,” concludes Edwards.
