I noticed an Italian video where contestants seem to be really enjoying themselves between filming of games. In fact, there is music blaring, with some of the audience there and a conga line by a number of the contestants.

Wonder if this sort of thing happens in the UK version or the former French version (and any others with an 'informal' atmosphere, using boxes rather than models with suitcases).

Ummm... no! If you mean in between filming a particular game, whenever they go to a break or have to have makeup touch ups then the contestants just relax, makeup lady comes out to re-do Noel's makeup and the contestants on the wings chat to each other. If it's a longher break the warm up guy will generally come out and make a comment like, for example say it's Jess' game from recently, he'd say to the audience something like "She's doing well isn't she? Jess is going to be a big winner isn't she?" just to get the audience a bit fired up. The intro is good as well because after Noel does his introduction they play the theme music that introduces the show on TV and the contestants step on the blcoks behind their places and do a little dance. Gets them in the mood for the game I guess.

So... they play the theme music, but do they play the other sound effects there, e.g. the explosion of the £250,000 on-board and the beats when the camera angle changes?

No sound effects. In fact, the theme music only gets played once, immediately after Noel does his intro. It doesn't get played going into/coming out of commercial breaks, and neither is it played while the names are being flashed up on the screen at the start (which is very strange since the silence gives the whole room a very eerie quality.)

Also, I have been there plenty of times when the contestants have been singing and dancing, doing mexican waves, getting the whole audience involved before the game starts. Sometimes a song will get played through the PA system too and we'll all sing and dance along. Different stuff happens every time, but it's generally a great party atmosphere.

Yeah, I think MisterAl pretty much covered it all. The only sound effects throughout the show are the phone ringing, and the initial opening credits. No music is played when the player's thinking about an offer, picking boxes etc. It makes for a surreal experience. And yep, no DOND music played whilst the player selection machine goes (which whirs on for about five minutes of filming, btw)

Between games, the audience goes back to the audience holding area, and waits to be called back in!

Between games the contestants, crew and pilgrims all go to seperate waiting areas within the same building. The break isnt very long, sometimes as little as 10 mins out of The Dream Factory. I assume the contestants are getting changed, having make up apllied and maybe a quick loo break.

The contestants who who want a smoke stand outside.

Sometimes a contestant will be in with the pilgrims, for example if they have friends or family there, Tommii and his parents were in with the pilgrims one time I was there.

Once everybody is called back to the Dream Factory there is a warm-up as described above.

Noel usually talks over the player selection. Does he record this bit seperately or while the machine's still going? Also, is there a long break in between the player being announced and the game starting?

The names flash for about 30 seconds in silence (I think Jonny's claim of five minutes is a slight exaggeration there!) before Noel does his talk.

The break between the player being announced and the start of the game is about ten minutes. Sometimes that time is used to get some shots of the audience cheering or pretending to look nervous, etc. Other times the warm-up guy comes out and just makes some jokes.

During that ten minutes the contestant picked and Noel leave the studio floor, everybody else stays in their place. If the contestant about to play has friends or family (F&F) with them it is at this point that one or more Pilgrims just to the left of the central aisle are told they have to swap seats with the F&F (who are all sat at the far back at the sides for all games to make sure they dont keep getting seen on TV). The F&F also have to leave the studio briefly to be have a mic fitted.

Ah, exactly what I am describing about in my original post. Not sure if it approaches the frivolity of that in the Affari Tuoi studio.

That's a shame for the pilgrims sitting there originally. They get prime seats, and are then told they have to sit at the back!

Thank you all for your insights, always wanted to know a bit of goss about the filming

Yeah, it was almost me on the 23rd of July show - I thought I was going to have to move...but then they sat the player's relative in front of me, so I'm directly behind them. It's definitely one of the best spots to sit

And yeah, five minutes is a slight exaggeration, but it was certainly longer than thirty seconds when I went!

They bring out the mop.

Here is the Italian video I am talking about which apparently happened between games or before the recording of a game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIX2g2q56sc