The BBC has upheld a complaint against Panorama after its episode about ‘Britain’s Killer Motorways’ showed the presenter take both hands ...
The BBC has upheld a complaint against Panorama after its episode about ‘Britain’s Killer Motorways’ showed the presenter take both hands off the steering wheel.
The broadcaster investigated the incident involving reporter Richard Bilton after a complaint about a ‘bad example of driving’ on the flagship BBC One current affairs programme was made.
Panorama: Britain’s Killer Motorways?, which aired on 27 January, was found to have breached the corporation’s rules.
The BBC received complaints about Richard Bilton when he took both hands off the wheel during a programme about 'killer' smart motorways
Bilton, who has reported for Panorama since 2007, was reporting on ‘smart’ motorways, where the hard shoulder is turned into a live lane, and whether they are safe.
Just three minutes into the programme, Bilton could be seen with both hands off the steering wheel as he took his eyes off the road to speak to the cameras inside his car.
Explaining the finding the BBC said: ‘At one point the presenter removed both his hands from the steering wheel, whilst speaking on camera and driving on the motorway, there was no editorial justification for this and the complaint was upheld.’
One Twitter user criticised Panorama, writing at the time: ‘Watching your reporter Richard Bilton presenting on safety concerns about smart motorways and doing a piece to camera whilst driving. Unbelievable!’
Mark Lever wrote: ‘If these motorways are so dangerous, why is Richard Bilton doing a piece to camera whilst driving?’
Mark Williams said: ‘The irony of Richard Bilton on Panorama reporting on unsafe motorways but driving on one and continually taking his eyes off the road to talk to the camera.’
Three minutes into the programme Bilton takes both hands off the wheel and takes his eyes off the road to speak to the camera
The programme has also stirred recent controversy following a string of complaints for an investigation into government provision of PPE kit for NHS staff during the virus crisis.
The programme last week sparked 793 complaints over alleged bias. The programme, titled Has The Government Failed The NHS?, featured interviews with medical workers who were also Left-wing activists.
Oliver Dowden, Culture Secretary, wrote to BBC director general Tony Hall with his concerns about this and another incident, asking him to ‘uphold the highest standards in relation to integrity and impartiality’.
A number of doctors and nurses that Panorama decided to interview were long-time supporters of the Labour Party, but the programme was accused of giving the impression that they were neutral healthcare workers.
The BBC has previously defended the programme and those it interviewed, saying they ‘don’t consider it is accurate to claim they are all Labour activists, and we don’t believe that their political views would invalidate their direct experiences of risking their lives on the frontline, and their fears that they are inadequately equipped’.
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