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Has The BBC Really Cancelled Doctor Who?
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BBC's Salford Decision: The 'Work from Home World Cup'
At 18:28 · chapter starts 17:05
The BBC's decision not to send its entire presenting team to America has generated predictable outrage — particularly from the Telegraph, which ran a 'work from home World Cup' headline. Marina is withering in response: the BBC is in the middle of significant cuts (10% of the news division alone), the presenting team of Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman is excellent, the studio is good, and reporters are on the ground. ITV's Brooklyn Bridge backdrop is nice, but Marina points out she doesn't immediately associate the Manhattan skyline with football. Richard adds that the enemies of the BBC would have attacked the spend just as loudly if they had sent everyone. Both agree: if England or Scotland make a deep run, individuals will travel — and that is more than adequate.
The BBC is broadcasting the 2026 World Cup from Salford, not America, and the Telegraph called it the 'work from home World Cup'. Marina Hyde and Richard Osman are unequivocal: the cost saving is justified, the quality is identical, and the critics are hypocrites who would have attacked the spend if the BBC had gone stateside.
FIFA's RefCam gives viewers a point-of-view camera from the referee's body during matches. Stabilised by AI, it provides a visceral, immersive new angle — and makes you genuinely sympathise with how hard it is to keep up with elite footballers. Gary Neville's point remains: if you have all this data, why won't you share it?
