A BBC film crew visited the Palace Theatre on Wednesday to shoot scenes for the television series Trading Places which is due to be screened at the end of July.

The programme shows two of Youth FM Radio producers who swap roles with members of a pop band and are trained to sing and dance over five days. The challenge culminates in a performance at the Alcester Street venue as part of up-and-coming group D2M.

And while the radio buffs join the remaining three band members to embark on their first public performance, the band members produce and transmit their own one-and-a-half-hour outside broadcast.

The events form part of the third series of Trading Places which aims to give youngsters the opportunity to face new challenges in a different environment and will be aired on children's television.

Other proposed swaps for this series include a casting session and photo shoot for a group of farmers and a stock judging competition for models, and the swapping of UK and USA stage school pupils and UK and Russian gymnasts.

Palace Theatre publicity officer Paul Hughes said: "The filming went very smoothly indeed and it is very good for the theatre because it will get us national exposure when the programme goes out.

"The audience was mainly made up of young people aged six to 14 who came to see the half term S Club Heaven and Genie concert so they got more than they bargained for.

"It was quite exciting for them to realise they were going to be on television as well, especially after the show when some audience members were interviewed."