Lib Dems attack Christmas TV repeats

[BGonaSTICK]

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the number of repeats scheduled on television over the Christmas period.

The party claims the number of re-runs due for this year has risen by 42 per cent compared to last. Its research shows more than a third of all shows from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day will be repeats.

"This Christmas Day's TV schedule will leave many people with a real sense of deja-vu," said Don Foster, the party's culture spokesman. "We're not talking about a few traditional favourites that everyone wants to see.

"This is just a cheap and lazy way of filling up the schedule. After original programming increased last year, it's a real shame that broadcasters have broken their New Year's resolution to clamp down on boring Christmas repeats."

He said only ITV has not increased re-runs on Christmas Day since 2003, while channel Five was the worst with three-fifths of its shows being repeats.

"ITV should be congratulated for getting one thing right," added Mr Foster. "Giving viewers original programmes for Christmas, not programmes that have been reheated more times than Christmas dinner leftovers."