I wouldn't be so sure. It's something that simply can't be sustained in the long term.
It has to be though. Whether people stick to it day to day or get fed up and let it slip is a different matter, but until there’s a vaccine or wide and accurate antibody testing then the official social distancing rules will have to be in place. Broadcasters/TV shows will absolutely have to keep adhering on screen even if the general public start getting complacent with them.
It doesn’t really affect GMB in general though - it’s one of those shows where social distancing actually is sustainable, especially at 1 metre plus - as the set is big enough to allow for alternate areas to be used if they decide to bring back a third presenter.
Don’t really want to turn this thread into a Covid-thread but you are simply wrong. New Zealand has ditched social-distancing because its virus-levels are low, not because there’s a vaccine or an anti-body testing scheme. There may never be a vaccine - staying socially distant for the rest of our lives is neither sustainable nor desirable. We instead need to get the infect rate so low and a reliable test-and-trace system to stamp out new outbreaks.
Anyway, back to GMB. The Lord Grade interview is embarrassing - why didn’t a producer check what he might have to say? They set themselves up for an open goal.
Apologies, you're right, I over simplified my point and there are many more scenarios where the need for social distancing can be removed. I agree we might be able to do so if the virus levels get as low as NZL or the track and trace system becomes trustworthy enough. The specific point I was trying to make (badly) was that saying "it simply can't be sustained in the long term" isn't really a choice. Live TV shows such as GMB will be expected to keep setting the example for a long while yet and planning has to be in place to
make
it sustainable in the long term should it need to be, or - when we are able to remove the need for social distancing - there will need to be forward thought which makes it easy to adapt back to a socially distanced model without much warning should the R number go up again or if the area the production is in is placed into a local lockdown due to a breakout.
And in that sense, I feel it's almost pointless for GMB to bother reverting to the old setup as the current model for the main hosts and guests works well and looks good on screen. If a third presenter is reinstated, placing them in an alternate area distanced from the main desk would make sense for the reasons above.
