TV Live Forum

Markymark post_id=77727 time= user_id=1078 Wrote:I saw Ross King on GMB at the Oscars last week, and he had his face right up to about 6 inches (15.24cm) from the person he was interviewing. Never mind Covid style social distancing, it was simply outrageously close by any measure !

In that example, irrespective of COVID, it seems that the levels of 'distancing' practised went rather too far the other way! I'll give you that!

Makes a change from it being the interviewer whose personal space is encroached upon...



(That picture always makes me chuckle. Always.)

Maybe it's because one of their own who has seen first hand the devastating effects of covid so just going along with the narrative that the pandemic is over isn't something they feel appropriate.

Brekkie post_id=77758 time= user_id=976 Wrote:Maybe it's because one of their own who has seen first hand the devastating effects of covid so just going along with the narrative that the pandemic is over isn't something they feel appropriate.

This just doesn't hold water. It's not as if they've seen what's happened to Kate's husband and decided that they're all going to be incredibly careful and operate as if it's still spring 2020 across the board. They're not following any distancing measures off camera (as they have no obligation to). You've got guests sitting together in the green room before the show and then sitting halfway across the room from each other on set. You've got Kate (the very person you refer to in your post) on an Instagram video this morning talking to Laura backstage, both perfectly happily standing side by side and even hugging at the end of the clip, but then pointedly going nowhere near each other on air. It's all theatre.

You keep reminding us that 'COVID isn't over' but nobody is saying that it is 'over', in exactly the same way that flu isn't 'over', we all know that COVID exists and is still present in society but after over two years and millions upon millions of vaccinations and boosters, we're now living with it, like we have always managed to live with all sorts of other things. At the start of the pandemic, social distancing was seen as a proportionate and appropriate preventative measure. Following over two years of progress since, it now isn't.

I just don't understand how behaving as normal off air and then pretending they're practising social distancing (two months after it was scrapped entirely anyway) when the cameras roll is anything other than a pointless charade at best, and a bit of an insult to the viewers' intelligence at worst.

Maybe with the MegaDesk™ the current positions etc isn't so much about "social distancing" any more but that they are happy with how it looks on screen etc? Everyone huddled up ala 2014 would look quite strange on such a large desk.

Jamesypoo post_id=77770 time= user_id=828 Wrote:Maybe with the MegaDesk™ the current positions etc isn't so much about "social distancing" any more but that they are happy with how it looks on screen etc? Everyone huddled up ala 2014 would look quite strange on such a large desk.

Exactly. There’s plenty of distance between presenters and contributors on Morning Live and Steph’s Packed Lunch too. No need to sit shoulder to shoulder if your studio is big enough that you can give people a bit of room.

Jamesypoo post_id=77770 time= user_id=828 Wrote:Maybe with the MegaDesk™ the current positions etc isn't so much about "social distancing" any more but that they are happy with how it looks on screen etc? Everyone huddled up ala 2014 would look quite strange on such a large desk.

This was exactly my thought as to why they’ve retained the distancing beyond other shows.

Using this morning as an example (around 2:54), it already looks a bit odd with the presenters sat 1m + apart or whatever rules they are using currently to be sat at such a large desk. If they went back to sitting next to one another it would look even stranger. Do they leave the newsreader on the corner also, or have all three presenters on the ‘straight’ section? Difficult to see how they drop the distancing without it looking a bit ridiculous really, which is why I suspect it’s still in place.

https://youtu.be/ALu_PCTB5aY

To be honest, I think they need something slightly larger than the original TVC one, that can sit three presenters and up to three guests (non distanced). They very rarely have more than three guests per item anyway, and their silly daily debates only have two usually.

I also think they need some sort of sofa/proper soft area back, it’s just a bit strange doing fluffy interviews from a very formal space.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I do think the very first set up they had got it perfect - news/panel discussion: at the desk, interview: on the sofa, feature/one on one: soft area!

I have it on good authority that the desk will be made smaller at some point in the next couple of months...

It's not a binary choice between either seating people 'shoulder to shoulder' or two metres apart from each other. It's simply the happy medium of (pre-2020) normality that I'm advocating for.

If you've got a desk that doesn't look right when people AREN'T sitting metres away from each other around it, then that's simply poor set design in my eyes. I'm intrigued by Rob's comment about potential upcoming changes in this regard, and will watch with interest as more information becomes known! A positive move, I would suggest.

For me, the set at launch in 2014 was the zenith of GMB's 'look'. That original desk was a thing of beauty and I loved the variety of different presentation areas, allowing for everything from desk-based 'hard news', one-on-one interviews, fluffier celebrity interviews, and even live music performances. Felt so fresh, dynamic and modern!

Agree - I never understood why they ditched the original desk for something which was more generic regional news.

Rob post_id=77774 time= user_id=2 Wrote:I have it on good authority that the desk will be made smaller at some point in the next couple of months...

The current desk being shrunk, back to the previous desk or a new one?

DavidWhitfield post_id=77775 time= user_id=1016 Wrote:It's not a binary choice between either seating people 'shoulder to shoulder' or two metres apart from each other. It's simply the happy medium of (pre-2020) normality that I'm advocating for.

If you've got a desk that doesn't look right when people AREN'T sitting metres away from each other around it, then that's simply poor set design in my eyes. I'm intrigued by Rob's comment about a potential new, smaller desk, and will watch with interest as more information becomes known! A positive move, I would suggest.

For me, the set at launch in 2014 was the zenith of GMB's 'look'. That original desk was a thing of beauty and I loved the variety of different presentation areas, allowing for everything from desk-based 'hard news', one-on-one interviews, fluffier celebrity interviews, and even live music performances. Felt so fresh, dynamic and modern!

I agree that the 2014 desk (and studio) was sublime, it’s been downhill desk-wise ever since. That thing that looked like a bumper car was the worst.

Pip post_id=77787 time= user_id=1104 Wrote:

DavidWhitfield post_id=77775 time= user_id=1016 Wrote:It's not a binary choice between either seating people 'shoulder to shoulder' or two metres apart from each other. It's simply the happy medium of (pre-2020) normality that I'm advocating for.

If you've got a desk that doesn't look right when people AREN'T sitting metres away from each other around it, then that's simply poor set design in my eyes. I'm intrigued by Rob's comment about a potential new, smaller desk, and will watch with interest as more information becomes known! A positive move, I would suggest.

For me, the set at launch in 2014 was the zenith of GMB's 'look'. That original desk was a thing of beauty and I loved the variety of different presentation areas, allowing for everything from desk-based 'hard news', one-on-one interviews, fluffier celebrity interviews, and even live music performances. Felt so fresh, dynamic and modern!

I agree that the 2014 desk (and studio) was sublime, it’s been downhill desk-wise ever since. That thing that looked like a bumper car was the worst.

Something akin to the 2014 desk (maybe slightly longer...) would probably be more of a happy medium between the excessively large desk we have now versus the small desk we had before.

The issue with the current desk is the lack of flexibility. This Morning can add a bit more sofa on, Lorraine can sit further away and Loose Women can extend the desk. However, GMB has one size only.

I expect a replacement or modified desk with allow for extra bits to be added as required so they can protect themselves again anything that happens in the future as well as allowing for when lots of guests are on.

adamiow post_id=77797 time= user_id=1277 Wrote:The issue with the current desk is the lack of flexibility. This Morning can add a bit more sofa on, Lorraine can sit further away and Loose Women can extend the desk. However, GMB has one size only.

I expect a replacement or modified desk with allow for extra bits to be added as required so they can protect themselves again anything that happens in the future as well as allowing for when lots of guests are on.

Pretty sure the last desk they had was extended with extra bits added shortly after social distancing was introduced.

lepeterrr post_id=77784 time= user_id=2189 Wrote:

Rob post_id=77774 time= user_id=2 Wrote:I have it on good authority that the desk will be made smaller at some point in the next couple of months...

The current desk being shrunk, back to the previous desk or a new one?

I don't know, all I know is that plans are being discussed...