 "Standing Room Only" was produced by the BBC's Youth and Entertainment Features department, at the time headed up by Janet Street-Porter who was also executive producer.The first series consisted of six episodes broadcast in BBC2's "Def II" slot.The host was Simon O'Brien (who would later also co-present a series of Def II's "Rough Guide To The World" with Magenta Devine) but other people, including Shelley Webb, presented small sections of the programme.