Ire? You grow up in Borehamwood you tend to be the one making all the Boring Wood jokes as opposed to being the butt of them. That said – Chris Cowey has long permed black hair and wears denim (you know – for the man who doesn’t have to try too hard) so i am not altogether perturbed by him leaving the town. Top Of The Pops has been at Elstree Studios Borehamwood for about ten years, including the great early nineties days of random presenters. Tastes wax and wane however, and the way I read it TOTP are being forced out because of Eastenders. In the meantime they have to go to the Riverside Studios – where I believe TFI Friday was made. Hmm, Teddington – that’s a step up.
Enough of my feint irritation though. Borehamwood is a tedious suburban town on the very edge of London and therefore deserves abuse. Yes many, many great films have been made there – and some turkeys (Superman IV: The Quest For Peace?). And yet – until very recently – it did not have a cinema. It is the kind of place where the phone boxes have bouncers. It was ideally placed in some respects for Pop Stars – since any kind of illegal drug is easy obtained in the High Street. Howeve none of the above can detract from the joy of growing up in a place where you could see Debbie Harry walking down the street – aged seven. My balls dropped a good deal quicker after that.
(I have to add here that Debbie and Blondie were not playing on Top Of The Pops – but rather on The Muppet Show, another Borehamwood production – starring Chris Cowey as Rolf).