Teen frenzy as One Direction hits breakfast TV

Thousands of screaming fans massed outside two television studios this morning to try and get a glimpse of UK boyband One Direction.

The first appearance was on Today at Nine’s Willoughby studio where several hundred fans waited at the studio gates.

Nine’s coverage included its second live car chase in three days. At around 7.10am a Nine chopper tracked the band from their Sydney hotel to Willoughby. The band appeared on Today at 7:42am in the studio with Karl, Lisa and Richard Wilkins handling the questions in front of a screaming studio audience.

Karl Stefanovic told TV Tonight, “They’re fantastic kids. We had a couple of hundred kids outside the station who camped out all night and a select number inside the studio. The boys were sensational. I got to hug Harry which was a lifetime ambition and all was good with the world once I’d done that.

“I suggested to them that life must be a little bit difficult when you have screaming girls wherever you go to maintain some normality but they seem to do it really well. They joked with kids and hugged them, and they’re just good kids. I reckon it’s a terrific thing for the girls to be into.”

“We’re conscious of the fact that we don’t want any of the girls to get injured in their quest to see the boys so you have to manage it, but I think we did that pretty well. And for the girls inside the studio it was a real treat.

“I don’t think I’ve seen that kind of hysteria since I went to a Republican Convention in the states and Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up.”

The Today show got 17 mins and 30 seconds with the boys before the headed off to Sunrise. A Seven chopper tracked their arrival into the CBD.

But Today fans were just the warm-up for Seven’s Martin Place. Sunrise hadn’t seen such pandemonium since Justin Bieber left the building, with police and extra security trying to keep everybody safe (top photo).

During the crowd scenes cameras picked up one sign that read: “Point your erection in my direction.” Sunrise later apologised, noting it had no control over the signage.

Seven had a 16 minute interview with the boys, with the crowd screaming everytime there was a close-up. Seven laid on a spread of Aussie food for their visitors which included Vegemite and Tim Tams. Harry got stuck into a meat pie, during their interview.

David Koch told TV Tonight, “One Direction is the music act of the moment and we endeavoured not only to bring them face to face with their fans, but also to try to put them into some perspective for the rest of Australia. Here are five 18 – 20 year old boys living the dream in the midst of all this mania, and quite frankly they were terrific blokes. So natural, so level headed and I was stunned with how well they seem to be coping with it all.

“As they explained, one day changed their life. They could either join together and make it big as a boy band, or go back to high school the next day. One of the great entertainment stories of our time.”

One Seven reporter noted: “You know it’s a big deal when there are other networks broadcasting from outside too.”

More than 10 fans required first aid after passing out in Martin Place.

After the TV trek ended the boys headed off to do radio.

But thousands of diehard supporters chased the black vans as they left the building and banging on the vehicles windows when it stopped at a red light. Police were forced to erect steel fencing to contain the crowds before escorting the black vans off the premises. It wasn’t enough to keep the fans out of trouble though, with the girls sprinting all over the roads in busy morning peak to get close to their idols.

Clips of the two interviews are available at Sunrise and Today.

Additional source: Mediaweek. Daily Telegraph