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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be hurt and annoyed at being dropped by the BBC?

641 replies

Ladyof2025 · 12/02/2025 18:14

BBC contacted me asking me to speak on camera about an aspect of local history I happen to know a bit about. I agreed and spent the next few days brushing up on the facts and then writing and rewriting a script and reading it out loud again and again until I knew it by heart and could speak confidently to camera as though I'd never said it before.

I do not have a pretty face, and am in my 60s and rather podgy, but I went to the trouble of going through my wardrobe for the perfect outfit that flattered my podginess, and had my hair cut specially and put on some make up, so I could be the best possible version of me that I could.

The production team visited, took me to the site and filmed me speaking. I did it smoothly and confidently and was glad that I had put in all the rehearsal so I came across as knowledgeable, professional and confident of my material. They said my performance was perfect, thanked me profusely and left.

After about a week they rang me to say that due to time and space issues the section of the programme that featured my input had been dropped. I felt absolutely gutted, not because I want to see myself on TV but because I had used up a lot of my valuable free time for several days preparing and rehearsing for it (for no fee I should add).

A few months later the programme I was dropped from came on TV and to my utter astonishment an attractive, slim young lady appeared, at the same site I was filmed at, and she spoke the exact words I had written and rehearsed! I nearly fell off my chair - the absolute bloody cheek of dropping ME but stealing the script that I had written. Thinking about it, I realised that they wanted my expert input, but not my saggy face or ample figure.

AIBU to be hurt and angry?

OP posts:
Hwi · 12/02/2025 19:18

I learnt that lesson (not with the BBC, but with a rich NGO) years and years back. I now don't as much as sneeze for somebody else without a valid contract.

tothelefttotheleft · 12/02/2025 19:16

Redheadedstepchild · 12/02/2025 18:23

Of course you are not being unreasonable! A very long time ago I submitted articles to BBC Good Food magazine. They published them more or less word for word under another name.

It was a six part series on essential ingredients, their nutritional values, historical provenance, classic recipes that used them through the British and international culinary traditions. I got zero, zilch, nada.

Did you complain?

WilmaTitsDrop · 12/02/2025 19:15

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Yes, my 14 minute slot took an entire day to film and there was the BBC presenter and 3 crew.

CatrionaBalfour · 12/02/2025 19:14

ButIToldYouSoooo · 12/02/2025 19:11

If your depiction of events is accurate, I would complain to the BBC

Yes, absolutely. It's outrageous.

WiddlinDiddlin · 12/02/2025 19:14

... they have the OP speaking her script on film.

You could transcribe it by hand in a few minutes or run it through a voice to text app.

Easy peasy.

LadysMantle · 12/02/2025 19:12

DarkDarkNight · 12/02/2025 19:11

A lot of these responses are really unfair to the OP. They didn’t say they wrote a script so they could read aloud in a robotic fashion. It’s different to want to brush up on what you want to say so you’re articulate in a situation most people would find stressful even if they’re knowledgeable about the subject matter. It’s like anticipating questions for a job interview so you’re not stumbling over your words and punctuating your sentence with lots of filler words or dead silence.

Sure, but that doesn’t explain how the production team got hold of this script?

DarkDarkNight · 12/02/2025 19:11

A lot of these responses are really unfair to the OP. They didn’t say they wrote a script so they could read aloud in a robotic fashion. It’s different to want to brush up on what you want to say so you’re articulate in a situation most people would find stressful even if they’re knowledgeable about the subject matter. It’s like anticipating questions for a job interview so you’re not stumbling over your words and punctuating your sentence with lots of filler words or dead silence.

ButIToldYouSoooo · 12/02/2025 19:11

If your depiction of events is accurate, I would complain to the BBC

AlmostCutMyHairToday · 12/02/2025 19:09

I work in TV (documentaries) and I have to say this is very weird!

Can you provide a little more context? Is the person that replaced you a presenter for the programme? Maybe they wanted to provide continuity, but they definitely shouldn't be stealing your script - that's just plain lazy!

Have you contacted the producers to ask why this has happened?

LadysMantle · 12/02/2025 19:09

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 12/02/2025 19:00

If this is true you need to take action, not just moan online. Not at the dropping but the theft of script.

Yes. How did they get your script, if they did?

I’ve done a fair bit of talking head tv stuff down the years, mostly on cultural things, and it quite often never makes to air, or in a brutally truncated form. (Now 52, have always been plain.) I would never go to any particular trouble with my appearance or spend ages prepping a script, because it often comes to nothing. But if they (somehow) used a script you hadn’t given permission for, that’s quite another matter. That you should pursue.

WiddlinDiddlin · 12/02/2025 19:08

I would be fuming at the theft of my copy and waste of my time, yes!

Invoice the fuckers, they do this because they think they can get away with it, but they used your copy, you own that, you wrote it, its yours.

So invoice the fuckers for however much you fancy, at the very least, a nice bottle of wine and possibly dinner out!

Arseholes...and I say this as someone who writes copy for others and sometimes works with TV production co's. It is all too common unfortunately, but it is shitty and the more people stand up for themselves and their work, the better!

Hapybara · 12/02/2025 19:08

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alwaysdeleteyourcookies · 12/02/2025 19:05

Girlmath · 12/02/2025 19:01

A few years ago the BBC came to my Dad's workplace to film. They spoke to/interviewed him and a few of his colleagues. He was so excited about it. The night it came out on the news we all say round to watch it. The way they edited it made my Dad look so stupid. It was so obviously deliberate and contrasted him with his colleagues different views with quick edits between them. It was heartbreaking. I remember him rewatching it several times over the next few evenings and he was so upset.
It still breaks my heart to this day. It was needlessly cruel to a very intelligent, lovely man.

This kind of thing gives me the rage. I'm sorry that was done to your father.

CatrionaBalfour · 12/02/2025 19:04

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 12/02/2025 19:00

If this is true you need to take action, not just moan online. Not at the dropping but the theft of script.

This ⬆️ please do something!

beenwhereyouare · 12/02/2025 19:04

The young woman "chatted naturally" using the exact words of@Ladyof2025 ?
I wonder how she knew what to say?
Oh, that's right, the BBC recorded Lady's interview.

Yalta · 12/02/2025 19:04

Take a look at your home insurance, did it come with free legal stuff as I vaguely recall that copyright infringement is one of the things it covers

CatrionaBalfour · 12/02/2025 19:04

Girlmath · 12/02/2025 19:01

A few years ago the BBC came to my Dad's workplace to film. They spoke to/interviewed him and a few of his colleagues. He was so excited about it. The night it came out on the news we all say round to watch it. The way they edited it made my Dad look so stupid. It was so obviously deliberate and contrasted him with his colleagues different views with quick edits between them. It was heartbreaking. I remember him rewatching it several times over the next few evenings and he was so upset.
It still breaks my heart to this day. It was needlessly cruel to a very intelligent, lovely man.

Oh, no- poor man! That's really horrible.

Sebsaloysius · 12/02/2025 19:02

This is one post I really hope the Daily Snail do read! This is horrible, OP and I can imagine how bloody dreadful this had made you feel.

Girlmath · 12/02/2025 19:01

A few years ago the BBC came to my Dad's workplace to film. They spoke to/interviewed him and a few of his colleagues. He was so excited about it. The night it came out on the news we all say round to watch it. The way they edited it made my Dad look so stupid. It was so obviously deliberate and contrasted him with his colleagues different views with quick edits between them. It was heartbreaking. I remember him rewatching it several times over the next few evenings and he was so upset.
It still breaks my heart to this day. It was needlessly cruel to a very intelligent, lovely man.

DarkDarkNight · 12/02/2025 19:01

Oh my god I would be furious! I was going to say these things happen all the time. Like the Gavin & Stacey episode where Mick is interviewed and is excited he’s going to be on tv and they cut it down to one line. But to actually do the piece at a later date and using your words is terrible! I think it’s pretty unethical really and I would email the producer to complain. As you say you put a lot of time and effort in and for them to use your work but not even acknowledge it is very dodgy territory. I would definitely point it out to them.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 12/02/2025 19:00

If this is true you need to take action, not just moan online. Not at the dropping but the theft of script.

Fizbosshoes · 12/02/2025 19:00

FiveBarGate · 12/02/2025 18:50

This.

My work involves getting experts for this type of programme. No one would ever be asked to write a script.
At best they would be given questions in advance to prepare but the point is usually that it doesn't sound like a script.

It's odd for them to use someone else though. I wonder if your edit was very difficult. Speaking very fast, giving overly full answers that can't be cut to the required 30 seconds while still making sense.

Show quote history

....and yet it did seem to work for the new person?
For everyone saying it shouldn't be a script , it should be natural, just talk about what you know etc....how does that work for the presenter who has used the OPs script?

ZebedeeDougalFlorence · 12/02/2025 19:00

We want to see older women on TV. If they say that viewers prefer younger women it's only because they have created that desire themselves by brainwashing people to believe that is what they want/are used to.

This is absolutely outrageous. Age discrimination.

WillIEverBeOk · 12/02/2025 18:59

Contact Sky News Or GB News about it. This needs to be brought out in the open.

purpleme12 · 12/02/2025 18:58

Wow that's awful!