BBC defends its repeat policy

The BBC has defended itself after it emerged that it has repeated one episode of Two Pints Of Lager almost 60 times in four years.

An episode called Dump has been aired a total of 57 times since it was first broadcast in April 2003.

It aired three times on its first day, and four more times the following week. Its most recent outing was on March 1 this year, when it was again repeated twice.

All but one of the airings was on BBC Three, but the show was also broadcast on BBC Two at 9.30pm on September 8.

The tally excludes any reruns on UK TV Gold, which also has the series on constant rotation. Other episodes in the series have been equally heavily repeated.

Episodes of Little Britain top even that score, having been repeated more than 60 times.

Two years ago, the then BBC chairman Michael Grade promised to make the terrestrial channels repeat-free zones, but made no such vow over digital channels.

However, another recent survey also found that the main BBC channels still constantly repeated shows such as Only Fools and Horses, Dad's Army and – ironically enough for a show about recycling – The Good Life.

But BBC Three’s policy of frequently repeating shows to build up an audience does have its supporters.

At the Broadcast magazine TV Comedy Forum on Friday, Extras star Stephen Merchant said: ‘BBC Three repeats shows endlessly to good effect.

‘People watch TV differently these days. They dip in, they don’t circle things they want to watch in the Radio Times.’

And BBC Three’s Kenton Allen defended the policy, saying it helped establish an audience for new comedy: ‘If you look at cumulative viewing, it is often better than the series would get with a single BBC Two series.’

A BBC spokesman said: ‘We understand that it may be frustrating for some viewers to see Little Britain and Two Pints of Lager regularly on BBC Three if they are not fans, but both series have a huge following and audiences do enjoy it, so we try to keep it in the schedule, albeit later in the evening.

‘Research shows us digital viewers appreciate and expect other opportunities to catch their favourite shows and the number of viewers regularly tuning in for Two Pints and Little Britain bears testament to this.

‘Another reason is that on occasions we use these shows to launch or support other programmes.

‘The BBC also shows some key programmes more than once to maximise value for money for the viewing public.’

Published: 27 Mar 2007