Watchdog (TV series)

Watchdog
Genre	Investigative Journalism
Presented by	Anne Robinson Matt Allwright Chris Hollins
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
No. of series	29
Production
Location(s)	BBC Television Centre
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Original run	1980 – present
Chronology
Related shows	Rogue Traders (2001–9)
External links
Website

Watchdog is a BBC television series that investigates viewers' reports of problematic experiences with traders, retailers, and other companies around the UK. It has had great success in changing the awareness consumers have of their purchasing rights and in changing policies of companies, closing down businesses, and pushing for law changes.

It is shown on BBC One and is available for online viewing or download via BBC iPlayer.

History

Watchdog was first shown in 1980 as a weekly slot on BBC1's news magazine programme Nationwide. Hugh Scully, best known for presenting the Antiques Roadshow, was the original host.^{[citation needed]} Nationwide ended in 1983, but Watchdog continued with its successor, Sixty Minutes. Sixty Minutes lasted only nine months, and Scully left the programme at the end of the 1984 series.

Watchdog returned in 1985 as a stand-alone weekly evening programme, presented by Nick Ross with Lynn Faulds Wood,^{[citation needed]} then the consumer expert with the BBC breakfast programme, Breakfast Time. Ross was replaced in 1986 by Faulds Wood's husband, John Stapleton, as Watchdog became a daily morning programme in 1987.^{[citation needed]} The new husband and wife team was the first married team of presenters on UK television, beating Richard and Judy by two years.^{[citation needed]} They made the show even more forceful, investigating big businesses and conducting more investigative journalism, and it quickly returned to a weekly evening slot.^{[citation needed]}

When the 1993 series was taken over by Anne Robinson, Watchdog shifted focus slightly. Previously, it had been primarily investigating safety issues and those related to children, but it now began looking into issues that would affect a wider audience.^{[citation needed]} Robinson was teamed with Simon Walton and Alice Beer, an assistant producer who was brought on as a link person between the consumers (on the phone in earlier years and e-mail in later years) and the main presenter. Beer left in 1999 and was replaced by Charlotte Hudson.^{[citation needed]} Robinson followed in 2001 when she went on to front the British and American versions of The Weakest Link, to be replaced by Nicky Campbell and Kate Sanderson.^{[citation needed]} In 2005, the presenters were Campbell and Julia Bradbury, with assistance from Paul Heiney and Saima Mohsin.

Julia Bradbury briefly departed the programme on 16 February 2009, returning on 20 April 2009. During her absence, she was replaced by Anita Rani.

On 10 May 2009, a plan to relaunch Watchdog was announced. The new series began on 10 September 2009, with presenters Nicky Campbell and Julia Bradbury replaced by returning host Anne Robinson, Anita Rani, and Matt Allwright, whose show Rogue Traders is incorporated into the new programme.

Presenters

• Hugh Scully 1980-1984
• Nick Ross 1985-1986
• Lynn Faulds Wood 1985-1993
• John Stapleton 1986-1993
• Alice Beer 1993-1999
• Simon Walton 1993-1994
• Anne Robinson 1993-2001, 2009–present
• Charlotte Hudson 1999-2001
• Kate Sanderson 2001-2005
• Nicky Campbell 2001-2009
• Julia Bradbury 2005-2009
• Paul Heiney 2005-2009
• Anita Rani 2009-2010
• Matt Allwright 2009–present
• Chris Hollins 2010–present

Methods

Along with attempts to interview business people in the streets, which were often met with a great deal of animosity, the presenters often invite company representatives into the studio to discuss viewers' consumer problems. While those were frequently turned down, many companies used the opportunity to turn the situation around to their advantage, offering full apologies and refunds.

In the 2000s, it became common for company interviewees to be advised by media advisers. Watchdog has also made use of hidden cameras and recording equipment, in the manner of investigative journalist Roger Cook.

Notable investigations

Fitted plugs

In the late 1980s, Watchdog investigations showed that numerous accidents were caused when the electrical plugs on new electrical appliances were incorrectly wired.^{[citation needed]} At the time, all new electrical goods were sold with bare wires and customers were expected to fit plugs themselves.^{[citation needed]} These investigations led to a British law forcing all manufacturers selling electrical products in the UK to supply them with fitted plugs.^{[citation needed]}

Hoover free flights

Main article: Hoover free flights promotion

In 1992 and 1993, The Hoover Company introduced a "free flights" offer whereby any customer spending over £100 would receive two free flights to New York. Due to an overwhelming response, many people did not receive their tickets and were denied the opportunity to take their free flights. After hundreds of complaints to Watchdog, an investigation by reporter Simon Walton revealed that the company in charge of processing applications was trying to deny customers their free flights in an effort to stem the rising costs. This quickly became headline news and Hoover were forced to give all customers the flights, costing them an estimated £40 million and the jobs of all the board members.

Pop-Tarts

A special episode of Watchdog was dedicated to the issue of the temperature of Kellogg's Pop-Tarts, featuring a studio full of people who had burnt their tongues whilst eating them immediately after being toasted. The conclusion was that those eating Pop-Tarts should make sure to leave the snacks to cool down before eating.

Auction World.tv

Television sales channel Auction World.tv failed to deliver goods or offer refunds to over 27,000 customers in the early 2000s.^{[citation needed]} Investigations by Watchdog forced refunds and the closure of the channel.^{[citation needed]}

The Accident Group

This company was exposed by Watchdog after secret filming revealed it was encouraging members of the public to make bogus claims for personal injury compensation.^{[citation needed]} As a result, The Accident Group went out of business, sacking its staff by sending them text messages.

Direct Kitchens, Kitchens and Maple Industries

Direct Kitchens, Kitchens and Maple Industries are all companies that are or have been based at Maple Mill, in Oldham, Greater Manchester and headed by controversial entrepreneur Vance Miller. The companies have been investigated by Watchdog on several occasions. Miller, who has a string of convictions in several countries. has been branded by the media as the "Kitchen Gangster", became the first person in Britain to be handed a ‘Stop Now’ order by the Office of Fair Trading after consistently supplying kitchens which were not sold as advertised. Miller is currently banned from being the director of any company in the UK, but, in October 2006, he admitted on Watchdog that he is heading his latest company Maple Industries and trying his best to correct previous mistakes Watchdog confirming that complaints were being addressed.^{[citation needed]}

Transmission details

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	14 July 1985	6 October 1985	13
2	24 November 1986	15 May 1987	101
3	15 November 1987	23 May 1988	24
4	3 October 1988	10 April 1989	24
5	4 September 1989	18 December 1989	16
6	1 October 1990	4 February 1991	17
7	30 September 1991	13 April 1992	24
8	7 September 1992	5 April 1993	28
9	6 September 1993	23 May 1994	35
10	5 September 1994	1 May 1995	32
11	4 September 1995	25 March 1996	28
12	5 September 1996	27 March 1997	29
13	4 September 1997	9 April 1998	40
14	10 September 1998	8 April 1999	29
15	9 September 1999	4 May 2000	34
16	5 October 2000	26 April 2001	29
17	13 September 2001	9 April 2002	29
18	3 September 2002	6 May 2003	30
19	2 September 2003	27 April 2004	30
20	7 September 2004	12 April 2005	30
21	6 September 2005	9 May 2006	34
22	3 October 2006	2 May 2007	29
23	3 October 2007	12 May 2008	30
24	13 October 2008	18 May 2009	30
25	10 September 2009	12 November 2009	10
26	6 May 2010	10 June 2010	10
27	9 September 2010	25 November 2010	10
28	7 April 2011	26 May 2011	8
29	1 September 2011	20 October 2011	8

Series 2 was the Watchdog Daily format.

Spin-offs

• Watchdog Healthcheck – about health and health matters, presented by Judith Hann and later by Alice Beer
• Weekend Watchdog
• Watchdog: Are You Being Served?
• Value for Money - mainly about shopping, presented by Vanessa Feltz and Charlotte Hudson
• Face Value – about the fashion industry, presented by Alice Beer
• The Big Dinner - about the food industry, presented by Jonathan Maitland
• On the House
• Short Change – about consumer affairs aimed at children between 7-16 year-olds, originally presented by Zoë Ball, then Andi Peters, then Tim Vincent, and up until recently, Angellica Bell. It is now presented by Thalia Pellegrini, Rhodri Owen and Ortis. Many complaints include problems with service, bad deals, and being generally ripped-off
• Rogue Traders - Undercover series examining con artists and cowboy workers
• Rogue Restaurants - Undercover series examining restaurants where it goes wrong and gives good advice

See also

• Rogue Traders
• Points of View
• That's Life!
• Don't Get Done, Get Dom
• Crimewatch
• Marketplace
• Fair Go

External links

• Watchdog at BBC Online
• Watchdog at BBC Programmes
• The Peoples Peeper - consumer rights/investigative journalism at its worst/funniest