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

[Ladyof2025]

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?

The BBC is a disgrace and I resent paying my licence fee. I never watch any of their programmes, much is my distain for them. The only reason I do continue to pay for a licence is out of fear of having some jobsworth knocking at my door.

Get yourself on Twitter ASAP and make a tweet tagging the BBC, the producers and hashtag the name of the program. It might be picked up by others and circulated and you're less likely to get a bullshitty response that way.

I have seen recordings to camera in TV with x2 ‘experts’ or more, all inexperienced at first, person one, informed, articulate but nervous & goes first is copied by person 2 who edits their best bits & shamelessly & more confidently condenses. Person one doesn’t make edit. That’s show business. Being nervous doesn’t make good TV at all & you need balls of steel for front of camera stuff. Presenters often ruthless yet professional.

There’s often only room for one.

That's awful, isn't it?

I would invoice the BBC production team for the script of yours they used, and copy in to the Director General.

Oh no you’re smelly cat

formal complaint for discrimination needed

I've been one of the people that's been dropped for time/edit! By the BBC. Admittedly in news not docs, so priorities change all the time, but I can well believe it

When I said three times I didn't mean hundreds. Film five/use three talking heads would seem very regular to me

The BBC are ghastly. All smiles and incredibly slick when they want something from you, and an immediate cold shoulder once you have served your purpose.

A few years ago they requested to borrow a rare item I had listed on my website, to be incorporated in a documentary. The implication was that they were doing me a favour and that any recompense would be a credit in the end titles. I was somewhat wise to them having had an acquaintance who had been poorly treated by them in the past so I asked for a fee of £250 for my time (a weekday morning) and a cab each way (within London; they had suggested sending a courier but I didn't trust an unknown person with a fragile antique) as I would be carrying the item myself and waiting while they filmed. They agreed and everything went smoothly. Getting paid was another matter. They went quiet, polite e-mails unanswered and the previously effusive woman I had been dealing with suddenly out of the office. Finally managed to get through to her on the phone by pretending to be someone else. Despite her slickness I could tell she was uncomfortable. Told her that I would be pursuing the matter legally if the cheque wasn't rapidly received. It arrived swiftly, albeit three months late. When I eventually saw the programme one of the experts (a well-known academic, who was awful) handled the item so roughly that had I been present (I was in the next room and couldn't see the filming) I would have intervened. Fortunate that no damage occurred. (They did credit me). I wouldn't ever deal with them again. So sorry you have had this horrible experience, OP. They are fakes, liars and snakes.

Dropped for time, content, not being strong enough etc - sure.

Having your ‘script’ (that I’ve never known anyone be asked to write - we would brief you and interview you but not ask you to write a script) given to someone else verbatim? Nope.

This. Cutting, par for the course; subbing???? Outrageous.

NRFT so apologies if this has been said.

@Ladyof2025 I’m afraid you probably did yourself no favours rehearsing so much. Generally we (I’m a tv producer) we don’t want anyone to sound like they’re reading an autocue or script - and the only people who can sound natural reading preprepared lines are presenters.

You were picked to be an expert contributor, not a presenter. This means they wanted you to answer the producer’s questions in a natural way - and the more you rehearse, the less natural it sounds.

I would never share questions ahead of filming for this reason - although obviously would give topics and likely areas.

I think it’s less likely (although not impossible) that you were replaced because of your age or looks or that you were used for your expertise when they had no intention of using the segment they filmed with you.

If they wanted your expertise, they would have conducted research calls - not sent an expensive film crew. It will have cost a lot to reshoot that section, so it won’t have been done on a whim or for aesthetic reasons.

The BBC usually embrace experts of all ages and types. Other channels are much worse for only letting ‘pretty’ people on screen.

That said, you have not been treated properly by the production team. Using your script is lazy and unacceptable - was it word for word? If, as I suspect, it was you being over-rehearsed that was the issue, that is on the producer. They should have been clear with you about not doing that, and also worked with you on the day to make you come across more naturally. That’s their job.

If it wasn’t working - not everyone’s communication style works on screen - they should have had the conversation with you about why you were being dropped - as uncomfortable as it would have been. It’s not like you weren’t going to find out, and to be so uncaring about the time and expertise you had shared is unprofessional.

You have every right to be upset and I would make it clear how they have made you feel.

I’m sorry you were treated like this and please don’t allow unprofessional and rude people to make you feel lesser. You are clearly very knowledgeable and extremely kind to offer to share your expertise.

That's awful! I think you should write an email or letter to the producer pointing out that they stole your script. The least they should have done was to ask your permission first and pay you for the use of it.

the producer should ask questions that allow the required answers to be given. Only presenters recite scripts.

The OP wasn't asked to write a script. She did it herself so she would have something prepared to say on the day. They recorded her saying it then later had another woman repeat the OP's words for the camera and it is that recording they put out for viewing.

Twice BBC asked to interview my DH in our home and we tidied and cleaned for two days each time. They cancelled last minute both times. The third time they wanted to interview him I said they could do it anywhere but in our house for they were not welcome.

As far as I remember they then did one interview outdoors on telly and one in their studio for radio.

He didn't get paid, though.

Oh my God - that is AWFUL!!

I agree that this needs highlighting.

I'd be taking that to social media - LOUDLY.

I work in tv and agree they wouldn’t waste time and money filming someone they weren’t going to use - but I can imagine it being unusable for some reason and needing to be reshot.

It may have been over rehearsed, it may have been a bit rubbish and a technical issue forced a reshoot so they went with someone else.

I can totally believe it happened - there are lots of crappy people working in tv.

What shoddy behaviour.

But they hate middle aged women even more.

YANBU and you should complain in writing to the Director General, Tim Davie. That is absolutely staggering. Include a link to the programme and all the evidence you have. I’m so sorry, this is so cruel and misogynistic.

[email protected]

Do you disbelieve everyone else sharing similar stories about the BBC screwing them over?

Thinking of the experts that have appeared, and history ones in particular, I'm not sure the 'saggy face and full figure' complaint holds water.
But I wonder if they were actually your words whether you have a case of intellectual property?

Sadly, OP, I’ve come across this before.