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Watch Dogs on The One Show!

...or rather Watchdog gets axed and merged with The One Show (February 2020)

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JO
Johnr
(Sorry for the source!)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/11008283/bbc-watchdog-axed-40-years/

Quote:
BBC bosses axe consumer rights series Watchdog after 40 years to become a segment on The One Show


Probably inevitable after Crimewatch, and the fact people can moan at a company on Twitter or quickly spread the news of a Rogue Trader on Facebook I suppose...
JO
Jon
Does Rogue Traders become a segment within a segment?
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
The Sun and Fail both adamant it has been axed. Mirror and Express "set to axe".

Anyway if true it means Watchdog goes full circle. It started off as life as a segment in the Nationwide programme, which is what effectively the One Show sometimes thinks it is...
DJ Dave, watchingtv and Brekkie gave kudos
BU
buster
Funny the press release says it gives the show the benefit of a "year round presence" which is more or less what it used to have before they started cutting it down into short runs.
CW
Charlie Wells Moderator
Now confirmed by the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/watchdog

Quote:
BBC One’s consumer rights brand, Watchdog is to be given a year-round presence on The One Show - the channel’s flagship live, nightly show.

Sounds remarkably like PR spin for what in reality is effectively cost cutting.
RD
RDJ
The thing is you aren’t going to get Alex Jones interviewing the CEO of some Washing Machine manufacturer to challenge them on why their products catch fire.

It would benefit from being interspersed with a working journalist holding the companies to account. Though it’s something the show failed to do in recent years in really holding the companies to account.

Watchdog is dead... Rogue Traders is dead... but both would definitely have a purpose if it was the proper investigative show it used to be in the Lynn Faulds-Woods, Anne Robinson and even Nicky Campbell days.
AA
Amber Avenger
RDJ posted:
The thing is you aren’t going to get Alex Jones interviewing the CEO of some Washing Machine manufacturer to challenge them on why their products catch fire..


Well no, it looks like it'll be Matt Alwright
itvblocks and watchingtv gave kudos
JO
Johnr
From the BBC News article :-

Co-host Steph McGovern has moved to Channel 4, but Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox will stay to front the new strand.

...I don’t remember reading anywhere she was totally ditching the BBC!
AS
Ash101
I suppose the idea being it’ll be packages on The One Show but they’ll be available on the website and social media too.

If they’re keeping dedicated presenters for it, wouldn’t it make sense to use 1 whole 7-7:30pm slot once a week for “Watchdog” maybe a Monday or whatever- in the One Show studio using One Show crew for the live show
Jeffmister, itvblocks and RDJ gave kudos
LL
Larry the Loafer
Funny really. I used to argue about how the BBC shouldn't be commercialised by saying "how do you expect them to make proper public service shows like Watchdog and Crimewatch?"

Ah well.
CU
Custard56
It seems an odd move when the likes of the Martyn Lewis Money Show is doing relatively well on itv.

It also begs the question what the BBC is planning to fill the vacated slots with - more repeats of DIY SOS?

Sad cost-cutting times.
JA
JAS84
DIY SOS can't be cheap to make, those home improvements cost money. Don't be surprised if that ends up on the chopping block too.

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