Happy New Year everyone.. even if it's not for 2 WEEKS

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jan 6, 2008 | by DONNA CARTON

UTV's New Year's Eve show was recorded weeks in advance despite screening a "live" countdown to midnight, TV bosses confessed yesterday.

Following complaints from furious BBC viewers about Jool's Holland's New Year countdown, UTV has also come clean about its event.

Some viewers who brought in 2008 along with Gerry Kelly and guests believed the show to be live - but it was recorded TWO WEEKS earlier.

The broadcasters claim, however, there was no intention to deceive the public and said it is widely known that Kelly's New Year's Eve show is recorded in advance.

Michael Wilson, Managing Director of UTV said:

"Every New Year's Eve show on UTV since they started back in the early 90s have been recorded in front of a live studio audience.

"Hundreds of people have attended these and its no secret that this programme - in line with most studio-based family entertainment shows - is not live."

The BBC has been flooded with complaints about the Hootenanny on BBC 2, which, it turns out, was recorded on December 11.

The glaring error was the presence of Kylie Minogue, who in fact, was seeing in the New Year in her native Australia. Other gaffes included guest Lenny Henry getting the year wrong and the midnight countdown being out of time.

The BBC has defended the programme said said the time travel sequence at the beginning was included to make it clear to viwers that the programme was not live.

A spokesman said: "We also made it clear in publicity material sent to the Press that the programme would be pre-recorded."

But, in a year when television programme makers have been taken to task about a series of public deceptions, viewers are furious at the lack of upfront and honest show descriptions.

One UTV viewer said: "It was only when the furore over Jools Holland began that I wondered about the Gerry Kelly show.

"UTV can assume we all know its recorded but why would we? Those who were there, know, but the rest of us don't. It is a deception. It is recorded as though it is live on New Year's night and no-one tells the viewer otherwise.

"I think in future, it should be made clear. I enjoyed Gerry Kelly and Patrick Kielty and it wouldn't have spoiled my enjoyment to know it was recorded. But putting it out as though its live and allowing the viewer to make his or her own mind up is a bit contemptuous of the viewer."

Mr Wilson said: "This is not about deception. Its about producing entertaining television that is fun to watch.

"UTV is one of the few regions in the UK that still produces a local New Year's celebration and we are very proud that Gerry's countdown to the New Year was once again hugely popular with our audience outperforming the network by almost 50 per cent."