13/08/2013

BBC Denies £150k Thailand Party Claims

The BBC has denied claims made in the Sun newspaper that it blew £150,000 on a show in Thailand after an episode was scrapped.

The newspaper said the crew working on the BBC Three show 'Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents' spent 10 days partying in Phuket at the expense of licence fees.

The BBC said there was "no truth" to the claims.

The BBC Three programme follows groups of young people as they take their first holiday abroad without their parents, who are secretly at the same destination and spying on their every move.

The BBC said two sets of friends had been due to travel to Thailand in June to take part in the show, but one had pulled out due to personal reasons.

Filming continued with the other group of friends, as planned by the TV crew.

"No episodes of Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents have been axed in this series and therefore there is no truth to the claim that we have had to write-off £150,000," a joint BBC and RDF TV statement said.

"Production schedules were amended due to a change of contributors but the production team continued to work and film other material for the series."

The statement continued: "As with all productions, staff work very long hours, with the right to some time off.

"RDF followed all BBC guidelines whilst filming the series and it will deliver in full, and for the original BBC programme budget."

(IT/CD)

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