Viewers tuned into the BBC‘s coverage of the UK’s One World: Together At Home concert on Sunday night – but some found fault in it.
The event saw stars from across Britain – and the rest of the world – take part in musical performances and surprise guest appearances from their homes, amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
Yet the BBC recruited three presenters to front the evening, requiring them all to be in the studio together, despite social distancing rules.
Together (not at home): Viewers slammed the BBC for recruiting three presenters to host the One World: Together At Home UK concert from a studio on Sunday night despite the strict COVID-19 social distancing rules that are currently in place
Dermot O’Leary, Clara Amfo and Claudia Winkleman hosted the event – albeit keeping a two metre distance between them – leaving some to question whether three of them was necessary.
Many also slammed the studio links completely – suggesting that the entire programme should have been filmed remotely and that the ‘constant chat’ between the performances was delaying the songs.
Viewers claimed the BBC had ‘missed the point’ – while some branded it depressing to have Dermot, Clara and Claudia ‘rambling on’ about COVID-19, when the show was supposed to be about escapism.
‘The BBC should be ashamed of themselves for recording the unnecessary studio bit!’ one viewer raged on Twitter. ‘Why aren’t the presenters doing this from home? Like the ENTIRE point of the concert? Was this to make it look more professional? Because it just looks cringe!’
Three’s a crowd! Dermot O’Leary, Clara Amfo and Claudia Winkleman hosted the event – albeit keeping a two metre distance between them
Missing the point? Some slammed the studio links completely – suggesting that the entire programme should have been filmed remotely
Another agreed: ‘3 presenters in a studio, what are you thinking @BBC? Completely missed the point!’
As someone else posted: ‘Trust BBC to ruin this. No need for the studio or presenters. Just put the music on and stop all the c**p in between, of which we have enough of ALL day, EVERYWHERE else, ALL the time! Thought the point was to escape from the p****n’ virus for a bit?’
‘Eight hours of music content and the BBC have chosen to put on presenters waffling and kids asking questions that we could Google. Ridiculous!’ slammed another.
‘A bit s**t!’ Tweeters did not hold back from their commentary
Followed by a fifth who penned: ‘Well done for entirely missing the point by having presenters in the studio and showing barely anything that was shown last night instead we get presenters in a studio talking. Not so much one world as one BBC!’
‘Thought this was to ‘lift spirits’… never felt more depressed!’ another wrote, followed by: ‘The lights and the studio are very nice… but can we just watch the performers please. Are those 3 presenters really Key Workers?!’
‘These presenters need to be fined for making unnecessary journeys,’ typed another.
Someone else tweeted: ”No need for: * A studio * THREE presenters * Choosing morbid songs * So much chatter * Clapping at end of videos What a shame… this could have been so different & uplifting!’
One person tweeted: ‘Eight hours of music content and the BBC have chosen to put on presenters waffling and kids asking questions that we could Google. Ridiculous!’
Together, indeed! Some questioned whether three of them was necessary for the event
Some compared it to the US version from the night before, claiming America had the right idea: ‘The American show last night had all of the presenters at home, I know BBC get Dermot, Claudia & Clara in the studio. Totally pointless. Annoyed me.’
Another agreed: ‘The BBC have ruined this. Presenters not at home, cutting away from artists to show the studio, constant information instead of music. Yesterday was spectacular but now we have to endure selected artists to make it all about Britain rather than the world!’
‘Sorry but concept is great but presentation by BBC is awful. Should be one act after another. But 3 presenters for basically a documentary. Very disappointing!’ another seethed.
Someone else penned: ‘Send two presenters home now! Why does it take three to present. Fine example set by the BBC…not.’
Someone else penned: ‘Send two presenters home now! Why does it take three to present. Fine example set by the BBC…not’
Another raged: ‘Good idea to have three presenters, 3x the potential to pass the virus on…’
‘Good idea to have three presenters, 3x the potential to pass the virus on…’ another raged, followed by: ‘Congratulations to the @BBCOne for creating one of the worst TV shows ever. 30 seconds of songs, 2 hours of gormless presenters who ignored government guidelines and should have stayed at home. Constant cutaways to an empty drab studio. Awful awful awful.’
MailOnline has approached the BBC for comment, but they told The Mirror on Sunday evening: ‘This was a live two hour broadcast with numerous pre-recorded and live inserts and it was safer for the production team to work in a single controlled space that operates within the government guidelines of social distancing than to have multiple recording locations for the presenters.
Star-studded: The broadcast, raising awareness of NHS workers and key staff, saw performances from the likes of Little Mix (above), Tom Jones and Jess Glynne
‘Only essential workers were present in the studio, they remained at least 2m apart from one another and were advised of the health and safety protocols in advance.’
Little Mix kicked off the virtual performances, while Jess Glynne, Rag’n’Bone Man and Tom Jones also performed.
The broadcast also included highlights from the US version of the show that saw the likes of Jennifer Lopez, John Legend and Sam Smith, Sir Elton John and The Rolling Stones perform.