How do the "armies of people waiting to work with them" get to work then? Do they also have a publicly funded chauffeur to swish them from front door to office like some publicly funded magic carpet?

I would say it is good practice financially for ALL BBC staff to do like the rest of us and pay for there own Oyster card.

The BBC is unique as I have to pay for it under threat of a £1000 fine or six months imprisonment. Whereas commercial broadcasters make there own way in life without my money nor any threats to ruin me if I refuse to pay up to maintan their lavish lifestyles.

ennui ... no, we got there under our own steam. However if I were late I'd be in trouble, it would be inconvenient but in an emergency someone could be called in to take over my role. This is much less easy if the main on-screen talent doesn't turn up. On a show like Strictly, even missing the appointed slot with makeup or a band call can throw the entire day out for scores and scores of people.

On a frivolous note, if Bruce F didn't turn up it could be a bonus, but that's for another thread perhaps.

No, you are legally obliged to pay for a TV Licence if you watch or record broadcast TV programmes as they are being shown on TV. The revenue raised goes to the BBC. That's the law, as enacted by Parliament. If you have an issue with that, speak to your elected representative in Parliament.


The maximum penalty for not having a TV Licence is a fine of up to £1000 (but it is normally much less - check out any "Appearing in Court" reports for proof of that).

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/informa...ties.jsp#link1

Then, if you do not pay a fine (that is ANY fine, regardless of offence) imposed by a Court, you may face imprisonment for disobeying the Court (especially as that Court will have given you every opportunity to pay, even at a rate of a pound or two a week).


Oh, did anyone mention that the Licence Fee brings you Strictly Come Dancing and It Takes Two * (which is what this forum is focussed upon)?


* Other programmes are available

Blah, blah, blah ... and I wouldn't expect the licence fee payer to pay for it!!!

And I just wonder how many other companies pass on the cost of things to the client / customer? Most, I would imagine.

I bet we pay for chauffeurs and the likes for a lot of the top level management of most large companies that we deal with.

You buy their goods and I expect there is a fraction of that money, on every item, going to pay expenses like that anyway.

If I were worried about the way the BBC spend licence money I would focus on areas of greater waste, rather than the cost of getting the on-screen talent to the studio - the stupid salary they paid Natasha Kerplunksy to read the news being one area where I would have made swingeing cuts.

I hardly think the use of these cars is giving someone a lavish lifestyle.

Could you provide a link to that story?

Ah, I've found it, sorry for not reading the thread.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...lion-year.html

A Daily Mail "story"? Rubbishing the BBC?

Will wonders never cease?

Or in other words,

Yes, and...?

Are you going to complain about income tax now?


If you feel so strongly, don't buy a telly.

I thought this forum was focussed on bitching.

Blimey, no-one mentioned a TV programme.

The Mail have a clear and consistent anti-BBC agenda.

All their articles fit that agenda.

Errr... that's it.

I have worked in the BBC on a number of occasions over a 15 year period and it IS a conspiracy by the Daily Heil.

I absolutely agree that there are instances of money being wasted - but they are very isolated incidents. The BBC is not, as the Heil would like the nation to believe, full of people sitting round frittering away money just for the hell of it.

And, in the instance we are talking about here, Chris Hollins' working day will start the moment his bum lands on the seat of his car.

And yes, nanscombe, I agree completely! Rather than whingeing about the Licence Fee, all those 'aggrieved' people should perhaps instead start wondering why food, fuel and utility bills are so high.

Of course the past eight days have revealed precisely how highly the Daily Heil values facts when writing 'stories'. Just ask Stephen Gately's family ...

has it occured to anyone that maybe its part of their contract to be chauffered to and from work? And perhaps if that hadn't been negotiated as part of the package maybe the salary would be higher to account for it?

Its only the same as other people contracts not just being down to the salary.

I know a builder who when she is not at her normal place of work she claims petrol. I can't, as its not in my contract, its in hers.

I get a final salary pension, because my pay is less than if I worked in the private sector, its in my contract.

Some people get free or cheap accommodation with their job, because its in their contract.

So, what is in Chris's contract?

None of our business really.

Also, its not impossible that that day only he was picked up to make space for the camera crew from ITT who were filming him !!!!

Hey ho

To clarify, are you saying that the Mail don't have an anti-BBC agenda in general?

Or are you simply commenting on this particular story?

Excellent post ennui. Do they BBC provide chauffers for the tecnicians, sound and lighting people, make up and stylists that have to be there in the early hours, NO they don't.

I would agree with a coach service picking them up, which they use for people who work at Heathrow, but NOT sending a chauffeur and limo to every pampered celeb.

An organisation that will pay J Ross millions of pounds not to be able to say the word "news" correctly is capable of any atrocity.

At least it keeps some drivers in jobs. I hope the cars have some British components.

It is surprisingly argumentative on these boards, isn't it!

How would you guys feel if you were watching a live programme and several of the advertised contributors weren't there? Would you not feel it was the BBC's responsibility to ensure their arrival?

I did raise that point in one of my posts, however we still don't know what the chauffeur criteria is ........ whether it is our business or not, as us licence payers fund the BBC perhaps we possibly have a right to know.

It would just be interesting whether they negotiate this into their contract.

Keep the thread going long enough and somebody out there will have the definitive answer. Any BBC chauffeurs out there???

Why do BBC employees have chauffeurs

Becuase we are paying for it and they are not!
You can bet your bottom dollar if they had to pay for it you wouldnt see so many of them swanning round with a chauffeur

tenchgirl ... bbc employees DO NOT get driven around by chauffeurs. The on screen talent will not be in the majority of cases a BBC employee.

We call them chauffers but what do they do for the rest of the day?

Are they more likely to:

A) Drop the guest off at the studio and then take the rest of the day off until picking them up again?

B) Spend the rest of the day ferrying other people around like a normal taxi service?

C) Spend the rest of the day doing whatever else is in their contract.

I would imagine that for the "drivers" (which is what they really are) chauffering guests around is probably only a small part of their job.

I think it so hilarious.
The BBC does their cast-lists for programmes and they have that category for "talent".
This could be anyone from Jeremy Vine to Bruce Forsyth to ...to...some actually quite good people!!!!

For the nth time...it's not the BBC. It's the entertainment industry in general.

Echo...echo...echo...

1. Find accomadation more suited to your own personal preference in career choice. OR. get a different job suited to the location that you have chosen to reside in.

2. Go to Bike shop. Buy bike. Ride bike. OR. Get on a bus. OR. Go hail a taxi.

sending a car is an industry standard? For Hollywood A list stars or platinum selling artistes maybe. For people who read the sports results? Get a reality check. Ask your self WHO sends it. If you believe it some industrial standard, like some human right, then the BBC needs a firm, sound thrashing for squandering the public purse.