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In the news ... Bricks from India for the BBC. ?

(31 Posts)
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Urmstongran Tue 01-Mar-22 07:38:51

The BBC shipped bricks from India to create the new EastEnders set, producers have revealed, as they gave details of how the project spiralled to £87 million.

The astonishing cost of rebuilding Albert Square, home to the BBC One soap, has been criticised by MPs and the National Audit Office.

It is four years overdue and £27 million over budget, yet viewers may struggle to notice the difference.

“The skill and care has been in making it look exactly as it did before. We don’t want our audience to think, ‘Oh, my goodness, what’s happened to Albert Square?’” said Rona McKendrick, EastEnders production manager.

... Beggars belief doesn’t it? Who cares? It’s a soap opera! Obviously spending licence fees is easy money it seems.

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M0nica Tue 01-Mar-22 17:52:27

Getting obsessed with absolutely the right bricks to look authentic, in a situation where such total authenicity is unnecessary is a classic example of the BBC gettinget so wound up with their self-generated idea of the need for authenticity

To be honest I have never really understood what they, or most of theb people who keep using the word actually mean when they talk of authenicity. I think it is a nicw woolly word that enables the BBC and others to avoid using words like honest and truthful, when events aren't but they want to pretend they are.

East Enders is a fictitious drama, what is authentic about that?

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Casdon Tue 01-Mar-22 18:00:10

I’m still struggling to understand why people are exercising themselves about this now. I found the NAO report, which is dated December 2018, over three years ago, and there doesn’t seem to be any new revelation about it since.
www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/E20-renewing-the-Eastenders-set.pdf

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Urmstongran Tue 01-Mar-22 18:05:56

Again, with respect Casdon I just think it’s in the news now because the project has been completed and the final figures are in.

Goodness, at £87 million the BBC could have purchased a square plus houses here in Manchester for a lot less! They’d probably have to rename the pub though.

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lavendermine Tue 01-Mar-22 18:15:07

The figures quoted are those quoted in 2018, nothing different. Yet again old news!

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Urmstongran Tue 01-Mar-22 18:41:06

Well I must have missed it the first time around. No matter.
I was just shocked today when I saw the amount!
?

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