• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Clean Feed

Clean Feed

  • Timeline
  • News
  • Opinion
  • PresWatch
  • Bloopers
  • News+
  • Resources
  • Rewind
  • Showreel
  • Studio A
  • Pres CafĂ© Forum
  • TV Pres Updates

How can a pre-recorded programme go so wrong BBC One?

Posted on 16th November 2020 by Andrew Nairn
Last updated on 3rd July 2023 Filed under Opinion

It must be the biggest catastrophe on BBC One for decades. For ten long minutes, the network descended into chaos after Panorama failed to start.

Announcer Delroy Haynes was the hero of the hour filling in gallantly. But despite his best efforts the breakdown itself was painful and cringeworthy.

It is one thing for a live programme to fall off the air – another for a recorded one to fail to run.

Worse, the shambles led to other programmes – and ultimately the BBC News at Ten – being late.

Hopefully there will be a full inquiry into just what happened.

Even if Panorama was late, why did this then lead to chaos? Ultimately is the playout system sufficiently robust to cope with the demands of a reactive channel like BBC One?

Hopefully these questions will be asked as a shambles like this cannot be repeated?

Oh for the days of simply fading up Con to show a slide, play music and apologise while the network director worried about getting the tape onto another machine.

Automation can be a great thing. But when it goes wrong, boy does it go wrong.

Related

Acknowledgements

Related

FEATURE IMAGE:

PICTURED: BBC One breakdown graphic. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Related

Related

Sidebar

Tags: BBC, BBC One, Breakdowns, Delroy Haynes, Panorama

Dates for the Diary

November/December 2023: World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23).

Q1 2024: SD versions of BBC channels close on satellite.

2024: BBC Four and CBBC go online-only.

2024: BBC Radio 4 Extra goes online-only.

Don’t Miss Out – Follow Us on Twitter

Our Twitter account will usually report the latest broadcast-related events shortly after they've happened and ahead of the website. You'll also catch a variety of items there that will not be covered on the website.
Clean Feed on Twitter.

Latest updates over on: Rewind

BBC Two South West continuity (October 1997)

BBC Two South West continuity (October 1997)

ITV Schools and Colleges continuity (c. mid-1970s)

ITV Schools and Colleges continuity (c. mid-1970s)

BBC Two continuity including programme promotions for Jools’ Millennium Hootenanny, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Gormenghast followed by Fallen Angels opening (29th December 1999)

BBC Two continuity including programme promotions for Jools’ Millennium Hootenanny, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Gormenghast followed by Fallen Angels opening (29th December 1999)

About This Site · Contact Us · FAQ · Privacy Policy · Terms and Conditions

© 2023 The TV Room. This site is not affiliated with any broadcaster, production company or design/marketing/talent agency.

Back to top