Has the BBC lost the plot?

[jon81uk]

I still enjoy HIGNFY but it’s nothing like it was a few years ago especially when Angus Deyton was the host. The quality of the guests has waned with third rate celebrities instead of topical guests. Some host’s struggle because they are not presenters therefore appearing un-natural in their presentation style. The show often goes off at a tangent during the questions meaning one round can often go around in circles for ages before finally getting the answer. It has become more of a comedy quiz show than a satirical quiz show.

Angus Deyton left HIGNFY 21 years ago having presented it for 11 years, its now had guest hosts for longer than it had a regular host. It always went off on tangents, it never was a quiz show, the questions are just a jumping off point for Paul and Ian to deliver comedy, particularly with Paul Merton who is really a improvisational comedian not a political commentator.

 

[Buzby]

Probably be logistically fairly tricky getting together all the guests, TV staff and the studio audience (and then getting them back home again) for a (two hour) show, if broadcast live on Christmas Eve.

As the bulk of Xmas shows are taped in advance, this wouldn’t even be a consideration!

 

[75A]

Christmas television is swamped with films. I rarely watch films, but I know others do so I understand why they are shown.

Conversely, many people like sport, so I wouldn’t have a problem with some sport being shown.

There are 3 back to back American Football games live on Christmas Day

 

[Ashley Hill]

Angus Deyton left HIGNFY 21 years ago having presented it for 11 years, its now had guest hosts for longer than it had a regular host. It always went off on tangents, it never was a quiz show, the questions are just a jumping off point for Paul and Ian to deliver comedy, particularly with Paul Merton who is really a improvisational comedian not a political commentator.

Blimey,21 years ago! I was only watching the episode on You Tube the other day where Angus was truly roasted for his indiscretions. I remember years ago the rounds were always fully played especially the odd one out round. Even in the extended version the rounds seem drawn out and incomplete.

 

[bspahh]

I remember years ago the rounds were always fully played especially the odd one out round. Even in the extended version the rounds seem drawn out and incomplete.

I haven't been to a recording of Have I Got News for You, but programmes like QI record for a 2-3 hours to get a 40 minute episode. When it comes to editing HIGNFY, would you rather they only include full rounds, even if it means cutting funny bits?

The scoring means around about as much as the scores on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

 

[dangie]

I would just point out that Sunday next is Christmas Eve. Or should the day be dedicated to the modern gods (of sport)?..

Christmas television is swamped with films. I rarely watch films, but I know others do so I understand why they are shown.

Conversely many people like sport, so showing some sport over Christmas wouldn’t bother me either.

 

[AM9]

As the bulk of Xmas shows are taped in advance, this wouldn’t even be a consideration!

Yup, seen two Christmas shows recorded this year:
The Last Leg, recorded at the (old BBC) Television Centre, White City on Sunday 27th November, - will be shown on Christmas Eve
Mo Gilligans Lateish Show, also recorded at the Television Centre on Saturday 10th June, 300-400 in the audience, many wearing Christmas jumpers (in June!), will be shown tomorrow Wednesday 20th December at 10:00.
Both are 1 hour shows, but take over 2 hours in the studio to make, (actually Mo's show took over 3 hours). For those that are interested in watching TV shows being made, there are two organisations that distribute the tickets (free of charge of course) that we've used:

Applausestore.com - The No.1 Official Free Television & Radio Audience Ticket Destinations

Applausestore.com is your official, one-stop-shop for literally thousands of free television and radio audience tickets to the very best entertainment, music, comedy, chat, sitcom, reality & award shows produced at many different studios and locations all around the world.

www.applausestore.com

SRO audiences - the tv audience company

You may have to stand for some time in queues but that's becoming normal at some paid-for events as well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As the bulk of Xmas shows are taped in advance, this wouldn’t even be a consideration!

That's as may be, but has the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Year", now in it's 70th year, ever been a pre-recorded show?

 

[Gloster]

That's as may be, but has the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Year", now in it's 70th year, ever been a pre-recorded show?

If it was pre-recorded I am sure we would have had a leak or leaks within seconds of the announcement being made on stage. Followed by the papers which didn’t get a hint heaping coals of fire on the BBC for pre-recording the show.

 

[JamesT]

If it was pre-recorded I am sure we would have had a leak or leaks within seconds of the announcement being made on stage. Followed by the papers which didn’t get a hint heaping coals of fire on the BBC for pre-recording the show.

The main award is based on a live public vote. There would be quite a scandal if that was faked.
Previous shows on a Sunday have referred to events earlier that day, especially where sportspeople have been playing and hence are unable to attend in person.

 

[Buzby]

That's as may be, but has the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Year", now in it's 70th year, ever been a pre-recorded show?

I’d suggest it was rarely live - but the gap between recording and transmission would vary. HIGNFY always tapes on a Thursday and is transmitted the next day. Participants are expected to keep awards confidential. Any show with a live audience would be problematic (especially in these days of unregulated social media) so taping prior to transmission is preferable and less risky should anything unexpected happen. I think I heard it called ‘lazy tv’.

 

[Gloster]

Even recording the programme a few hours before is risky nowadays with the speed that information is out on social media and the like. It really needs to be down to just long enough in advance for bloopers, swearing, glitches, etc. to be edited out and the final tweaking to allow the end of the show to be trimmed to fit the schedule.

I wonder if people are too demanding nowadays and expect everything to be perfect, even with the most complex of productions. I am old enough to remember when a lot of stuff had to be live: the joy we had when something went wrong. The presenters then were adept at keeping the show going and adjusting their spiel to fit the circumstances, i.e making it up as they went along. I wonder how many of the present bunch could cope without their idiot boards and earpieces while all hell, such as a p*ssing elephant, is let loose.

 

[Geezertronic]

I hate watching films on terrestrial TV, especially when you know what will happen and it's either dubbed over or edited out

 

[Oxfordblues]

When there are so many worthy charities, not least the BBC's Children In Need, why does the BBC donate £1.35m each year to an opinionated sports presenter who already has an estimated net worth of circa £29m. His "earnings" are entirely funded by the compulsory licence fee, for which failure to pay could lead to a hefty fine or even imprisonment.

 

[jon81uk]

When there are so many worthy charities, not least the BBC's Children In Need, why does the BBC donate £1.35m each year to an opinionated sports presenter who already has an estimated net worth of circa £29m. His "earnings" are entirely funded by the compulsory licence fee, for which failure to pay could lead to a hefty fine or even imprisonment.

They aren't donating him anything, they are paying in for work done.

 

[dosxuk]

I’d suggest it was rarely live - but the gap between recording and transmission would vary. HIGNFY always tapes on a Thursday and is transmitted the next day. Participants are expected to keep awards confidential. Any show with a live audience would be problematic (especially in these days of unregulated social media) so taping prior to transmission is preferable and less risky should anything unexpected happen. I think I heard it called ‘lazy tv’.

Sports Personality is, and always has been, broadcast live. While there are pre-recorded segments (some of them broadcast as-live), the bulk of the show is happening within a few seconds of you seeing it at home. Plenty of programmes with live audiences are broadcast live daily.

Even recording the programme a few hours before is risky nowadays with the speed that information is out on social media and the like. It really needs to be down to just long enough in advance for bloopers, swearing, glitches, etc. to be edited out and the final tweaking to allow the end of the show to be trimmed to fit the schedule.

If you watched tonight, you'll have seen it overrun it's scheduled slot, meaning the rest of tonight's programmes will be delayed - so it's clearly not been edited for time!

 

[Gloster]

If you watched tonight, you'll have seen it overrun it's scheduled slot, meaning the rest of tonight's programmes will be delayed - so it's clearly not been edited for time!

It does frequently happen that it just isn’t possible to cut things out in the few minutes available. If they are running behind time early on they may have recorded bits that they know they can cut chunks out of in order to catch up a bit or the presenters are that told that they are going to drop the bit about the long-jumping sloth and skip that bit of the script. But, particularly if the delays start appearing late in the programme, it may be better to let it overrun than have an ugly cut.

 

[matt]

Sports Personality is, and always has been, broadcast live. While there are pre-recorded segments (some of them broadcast as-live), the bulk of the show is happening within a few seconds of you seeing it at home. Plenty of programmes with live audiences are broadcast live daily.

If you watched tonight, you'll have seen it overrun it's scheduled slot, meaning the rest of tonight's programmes will be delayed - so it's clearly not been edited for time!

It frequently runs over. It used to be broadcast before the Apprentice final and several times that was late starting.

 

[Bevan Price]

There are 3 back to back American Football games live on Christmas Day

Sounds boring - watching teams & coaches spending too much time stopping to talk about tactics, instead of playing long unbroken sessions with just a half-time break like other games.

 

[AM9]

If you watched tonight, you'll have seen it overrun it's scheduled slot, meaning the rest of tonight's programmes will be delayed - so it's clearly not been edited for time!

Wasn't that Fatima Whitbread's speech that delayed the following awards? Nothing new in that annual bore running over. I remember many years ago when some old guy was brought in to give Henry Cooper his award. He droned on for nearly 15 minutes with everybody including Henry around him looking uncomfortable, (I think he was blind), and as it was the last award in the programme so there was no chance of catching up. Eventually, one of the presenters stepped forward to move on to the actual handover of the trophy.

 

[jon0844]

As the bulk of Xmas shows are taped in advance, this wouldn’t even be a consideration!

At least one New Year show was filmed last week, as I know some people who attended.

Years ago, when HIGFNY was producing Christmas special VHS tapes (do they still do this today on DVD/Blu-ray? I assume not) they actually made up bloopers after the main filming was done. Things had gone relatively smoothly with few re-takes, so they made silly mistakes up for a 'blooper reel' exclusive on the tape!! We all had to laugh at these mistakes, when really a lot of us wanted to leave to get home!

 

[Statto]

Angus Deyton left HIGNFY 21 years ago having presented it for 11 years, its now had guest hosts for longer than it had a regular host. It always went off on tangents, it never was a quiz show, the questions are just a jumping off point for Paul and Ian to deliver comedy, particularly with Paul Merton who is really a improvisational comedian not a political commentator.

Angus Deayton was sacked over continuing scandals about his private life, which involved drugs & prostitutes, the episode after Angus Deayton's private life hit the headlines was hilarious, Paul Merton was hilarious too on that episode, but fresh allegations were made during the next series, & it started disrupting the show, Angus Deayton trying to laugh the allegations, Ian Hislop turned round & said it wasn't funny anymore, plus how could Angus Deayton call out anyone else over their dodgy behaviour, when he to had become disgraced, so Angus Deayton was sacked after after 2 episodes of that series, which was series 24.

 

[Busaholic]

Angus Deayton was sacked over continuing scandals about his private life, which involved drugs & prostitutes, the episode after Angus Deayton's private life hit the headlines was hilarious, Paul Merton was hilarious too on that episode, but fresh allegations were made during the next series, & it started disrupting the show, Angus Deayton trying to laugh the allegations, Ian Hislop turned round & said it wasn't funny anymore, plus how could Angus Deayton call out anyone else over their dodgy behaviour, when he to had become disgraced, so Angus Deayton was sacked after after 2 episodes of that series, which was series 24.

The relationship between Hislop and Merton has changed greatly over the years. They obviously like each other now, but they certainly didn't do so in the first few series: indeed, Merton had a grumpy, unsmiling persona then. Merton also did his best when Boris Johnson became a fairly regular frontman to point out various defects in his character and appearance, which now seem prescient when replayed on YouTube. He also refused to engage with the other member of his team sometimes e.g. Jimmy Savile.

 

[MP33]

In Sports Personality of the Year, there have been cock ups with the presentation. There was, I think Dennis Compton a cricketer who had a reputation for being absent minded. Who had trouble finding the pocket that the envelope was in. He eventually produced an envelope and then said hang on it is the invitation for this evening. They also brought on Sir Stanley Rous, the former head of FIFA who was past his sell by date. He gave the name of the winner Barry McGuigan as Barry McCochrane.

 

[WatcherZero]

What I'm saying is, the viewing figures have plummeted because they changed a successful format. A Question of Sport in the big scope of things can't be expensive to produce.

Viewing figures dropped below a million, I think it was a surprisingly expensive show to produce because each of the guests are getting four figure appearance fees each episode.

Its part of a wider problem that the government has for several years now been squeezing the BBC budget by preventing the license fee rising with inflation and adding extra costs like when they offloaded the cost of producing the World Service and local language services from the Foreign Office to the BBC.