Behind The Scenes - Sara from the Stairs
It's safe to say that The Voice UK wouldn't be the same without an appearance every week from one iconic member of the crew - Sara from the Stairs!
She's the last person the contestants speak to before stepping onto that slightly terrifying stage, and fast becoming someone we could really do with in our everyday lives - she has special powers that somehow calm down even the most nervous of singers!
We caught up with her and asked a few of the burning questions we had, including what it's really like to be stood on The Stairs every Saturday night....
The viewers at home see you a lot every week! What’s your job title and how did you get into it?I’m one of the floor managers. I’ve been doing this job now for 22 years which makes me very old! Ha! I work on all sorts of shows, Dancing on Ice, The Brits, This time Next Year to name a few. When I left uni I became a runner on a TV show. I fell in love with the industry immediately and the rest is history!
Do you like to sing?Yes, but only when I know no one is listening!
What does your day to day on The Voice involve? On the record days for the blind auditions, the first thing I do when I arrive in the studio is pick up my running order. Then I grab my talkback, (the little pack that allows me to listen to, and talk to the director) and head in to the green room to check that the singers are having their final vocal warm ups. As the audience start coming in we make sure the coaches and Emma are getting ready. When the audience is full, the director calls for everyone to set. I then call the first singer to backstage where we wait on the stairs before they walk out on to stage!
Do you ever get nervous for the acts?I get nervous for the families of the acts! Seeing them say goodbye to each other just before I cue the act on to the stage always makes me feel emotional. The mums, dads and grannies always look like they are going to burst into tears. The acts just want to get on with the auditions! It’s definitely harder on the families!
What advice do you give to the most nervous contestants? The last few minutes before an act goes on the stage is always quite tense and overwhelming for them. The really nervous ones go really quiet, have sweaty palms, dry mouths, and start breathing really quickly. They nearly always need to pee at the last second and panic, telling me they can’t remember their song.
So, the first thing I do is hold their hand, then take them through some breathing exercises... I tell them to breathe in for four seconds, hold it for four, then breathe out for 8! Then I ask them as many random questions as possible to distract them while I wait for the director to tell me to send them out. Finally, I remind them of how amazing the moment is, one that very few get to experience, so to have as much fun as possible!
How do you prepare those who aren’t as anxious as others?Most people are anxious, it’s just some hide it better. Pretty much everyone takes my hand though as we stand on the stairs. It makes them feel safe! For those that hide their fear, we usually just chat about the song choice, the family they have with them or the clothes they are wearing! .
Did you know you have fans on Twitter? No! That’s hilarious!During the Blinds a lot of viewers on Twitter said they’d like you to prepare them for meetings/interviews, and general life! Oh that is so funny. Really? Maybe I should think about a new business. I could call it ‘in for four, hold for four!’
What goes through your mind when you are talking to the singers? Do you put yourself in their shoes?I always think to myself “never in a million years could I do this!!” It is such a brave, brilliant thing to do, and these acts are incredible human beings for not only being so talented, but for having the strength, the defiance and the drive to go out there and take such a huge chance in front of millions of people.
Have there been any stand-out, fun moments with contestants on this series of The Voice? I meet so many brilliant people backstage that it’s hard to pin point any one person.
Do you think you could audition for The Voice?No way!
What’s it like to be the last person to see the contestant before they go onstage?It feels very special to be in the presence of such talent at such a key moment in their lives. My job is to make sure that they walk on to that stage as calm, confident, and happy as possible, to help them ensure the delivery of what could be a life changing performance.