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Why I Love…Watchdog

Paul Heiney, Nicky Campbell and Julia Bradbury
  • Posted at 5:51pm
  • 14 March 2008
  • by RhodriMarsden-RT
  • 2 comments

There's something splendidly reassuring about consumer investigation telly, and Watchdog in particular.

While the ping-pong style of presenting between Nicky Campell and Julia Bradbury is almost indistinguishable from that of Nick Ross and Fiona Bruce on Crimewatch, at least Watchdog doesn't give you nightmares featuring balaclava-wearing, spanner-wielding mechanics intent on bludgeoning your skull in return for your iPod.

It allows you to slumber peacefully, satisfied in the knowledge that a team of BBC researchers are amassing huge filing cabinets full of our consumer complaints, and tomorrow their intrepid reporter will march purposefully down a suburban high street, carrying a microphone and barking at a fat man wearing an ill-fitting suit who is desperately trying to clamber into a posh car. "Excuse me, Mr Smith! Could you please tell the BBC why you ransacked the bank accounts of the elderly and infirm, and then used the money to buy yourself a flotilla of yachts? Mr Smith?"

One day, one of these dubious businessmen will shrug their shoulders and humbly ask to be driven to the nearest police station. But invariably, they drive off in a cloud of exhaust fumes, leaving our intrepid reporter to turn to camera wearing a concerned expression, and say "Well, it seems that Mr Smith isn't all that keen to answer our questions."

But with the clout of the largest broadcasting organisation in the world behind them, Watchdog eventually, and invariably, gets its man. Without them, who would we turn to? We'd probably take the law into our own hands. And where would we be, then? Iraq. Brrr.

It's hard to remember a time when Watchdog hasn't been a comforting weeknight presence. There was Lynn Faulds Wood and her almost comical concern at various children's toys that were "potential deathtraps"; who could forget pre-wink era Anne Robinson and her tenacious sidekick Alice Beer, ensuring that Hoover coughed up the free flights they promised us when we bought a vacuum cleaner back in the early 90s; and the tenacious John Stapleton, reducing managing directors to jabbering idiots after they made the ill-advised decision to defend their record on live television.

Watchdog's history has, in short, been a crusade of epic proportions. No statistics are available on its website of the number of unscrupulous landlords, crooked timeshare salesmen or vicious car-clampers that have been run out of town, or indeed how many ruined weddings, lost parcels or extortionate phone bills have been avoided.

But despite the well-worn clichés – you know, things like "but their dream holiday quickly became a hideous nightmare" or "Sheila assumed that this would be a small price to pay for peace of mind" – I like nothing better than seeing Julia Bradbury triumphantly wave a sheaf of yellow email printouts as the news comes in that a dodgy director has been arrested on suspicion of embezzlement. I get my kicks where I can, you know.

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  • Posted on 09 February 2009
  • at 6:02pm
  • by mayor

LLOL

  • Posted on 15 October 2008
  • at 8:29pm
  • by harryarcos

Along with many others I was unhappy with the petty criticism of Ryanair on Monday's watchdog. I left a comment on the site, but over 24 hours later, it was still awaiting "moderation" . There were at least another couple of dozen comments, no doubt making the same point, awaiting "moderation". Of course, nobody is looking at the site anymore, but why do the BBC need to "moderate" comments. Filters are available to prevent obscene language and posters could easily report anything that should be removed. Clearly the BBC is "Big Brother".

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