Gareth Davies, a former BBC producer, has identified Shania Twain as "one of the biggest divas" he encountered during his career. Davies recalled an incident at BBC's "Top of the Pops" where Twain's entourage reportedly created a rapid procession to ensure she did not have to slow down or open doors.
"They were basically all running to the next door, the next door, the next door through the BBC corridors to make sure that when Shania started walking, she didn’t have to slow down at any point," Davies told Page Six. He described the scene as "a little bit overkill."
Davies also labeled Jennifer Lopez as the "sassiest" celebrity he has worked with. He recounted that Lopez had all her dressing rooms decorated in white plastic film for her appearances on "Top of the Pops." According to Davies, a white microphone was also a specific requirement for Lopez on stage.
"A lot of time, money, and effort was spent on making sure that J.Lo perhaps felt as sassy as what she kind of wants to be backstage," Davies said. Representatives for Twain had no comment, and Lopez's representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Madonna, Davies noted, arrived with the largest entourage he had ever seen. He shared an anecdote where Madonna's stylist "comically" left all her outfits at the hotel, a significant distance from the studio. Despite this mishap, Davies observed that there were no visible repercussions for the stylist and that any potential issues were likely managed away from the singer.
In contrast to these experiences, Davies shared a story about Janet Jackson being unusually punctual and unassuming. He recalled waiting for her arrival, only to discover she had been sitting on the studio floor for some time, waiting for the crew. "So that was really sweet to see that sometimes you expect someone to be this huge diva and to make an entrance and actually she’s just been waiting there for us the whole time," Davies said.
Simon Cowell, however, is known for his tardiness, according to Davies, who noted that "the world now waits for Simon Cowell rather than the other way around." Davies suggested that "being fashionably late can come with the status."
Davies also mentioned Britney Spears, the Spice Girls, and Kylie Minogue as celebrities he found to be surprisingly down-to-earth backstage. He stated that, in his experience, famous people are often "the opposite" of their public personas, with many being "really normal, nice and sweet."