This Morning

I think the programme would miss the husband and wife chemistry - a TV marriage is good, but it doesn't quite have the same effect as a real one.

You do realise that Holly and Phillip are not a couple, don't you?

Breaking news to me, that is...

I was focussing more on the Friday/school holiday programmes. Of course, the programme massively enjoys the Phillip and Holly pairing, but, as someone else posted a while back, having a *real-life* couple works brilliantly as well. The balance that they've got now is ideal.

Another technical issue with the closing credits today.

So back in April, we had the crew cards that kept skipping back and forth.

Shortly after that: they misspell "Technical Director" as "Techinal Director" - and it's been like that for nearly four months.

Today: we've got the "Presented by Eamonn Holmes OBE & Ruth Langsford" card - and then it doesn't move on for ten seconds or so, then the 'This Morning' fades in at the last five/ten seconds of the credits.

(Skip to 2:10)

Why does this show need a producer, show runner (what ever that is), two deputy editors, head of production, a series director, an executive producer and an editor?

You've checked out what those roles entail, yeah? A series director can't be compared to an EP or an Editor for example...

Check the credits for the cheapest of half hour one off shows and you're usually talking a few dozen names so for a live daily two hour show with plenty of filmed inserts that is no surprise. Even as a viewer rather than someone who works in the industry I can see why they need all those roles, and don't think it's that uncommon for daily live shows to have different people filling some of those roles on different days of the week.

Exactly this. There’s a team for every day the show is made with various senior positions in overlap, responsible for the broader output.

As has been said, a two hour daily live show has to be resourced appropriately!

Well the Series Director will have a totally different Job to everyone else in that list - as they will probably be the senior studio director and 'run' the show from a directing point of view (even if they don't studio direct the show every day) Directors have a very different job to to producers on a studio show. On some shows they may also set the 'look' of location VTs - as well as handle long term stuff like studio and graphic design development and brand consistency.

The Producer credit will almost certainly be a day producer - so they will probably have produced that days show in detail, over a number of days and be responsible for all of the nuts and bolts (along with researchers and assistant producers probably) - sourcing and clearing stills, VT inserts, fact checking, writing show and guest briefs for presenters, talking through each item with contributors and experts etc. Most shows like This Morning will have different day producers working on consecutive shows - possibly on a 3, 4 or 5 day turnaround.

The Deputy Editors will almost certainly supervise the live teams and also the location VT insert teams, going over scripts, checking that from a more experienced point of view that the show running order makes sense, that the shooting scripts and edit production of inserts is being handled correctly etc. They will probably lead a daily production meeting, or the Exec will.

The Executive Producer/Editor will be the most senior editorial figure. They will have overall responsibility for the long term strategy for the show, driving the forward planning teams as well as the day teams. They will have significant overlap with Deputy Editors on many shows - but for a 5 day a week show you need to spread the load. The Exec will also have to have regular meetings with commissioners and/or channel management, and will almost certainly run things like forward planning meetings.

Head of Production is likely to be a non-editorial job - effectively a senior production management / budget figure who will also be looking after staffing for the show. Shows like This Morning which are long running will constantly be hiring staff and someone needs to manage this.

Show Runner is a more complex role to define - and isn't as usual on a factual show. On a drama they have the overarching 'view' of the show - creatively and practically. I guess if the Executive Producer is more tied up with other elements - or works across more than one show - the Show runner will assume some of the responsibilities they may otherwise have.

I think Holly and Phil have mentioned to guests they usually have a meeting after the show which is likely when they sit with the Editor or producer and go through what went right or wrong during the show and also a brief on what's happening tomorrow.

Yes - many shows like This Morning will have a post-show debrief, and many will have a pre-show production meeting with that day's production team, presenters, director, editor or deputy editor etc. Not too dissimilar to a daly news show.

Executive Producer can sometimes be a vanity credit for the commissioner (or sometimes the talent) with show runner being the person really doing that role.