BBC Breakfast viewers were left unimpressed and took to social media to vent their frustration, claiming “no one is interested” after a segment aired featuring the annual cleaning of Blackpool Tower Ballroom’s chandeliers.
During the Tuesday (January 14) broadcast, reporter Jayne McCubbin was on-site at the iconic venue, detailing the unique process involved in the chandelier maintenance.
“This happens every January, it’s in the calendar, the spring clean has to happen. But this year, it’s a bit different,” Jayne said, hinting at the increased stakes involved in this year’s clean-up.
“There is a bit more jeopardy, a bit more danger, a bit more risk, a bit more, as you say, Only Fools and Horses potential for comedy and drama,” she added, reports Lancs Live.
Operations Manager Alan Edgar then described the intricate care taken during the cleaning process of the Edwardian chandeliers, which boast over 10,000 pieces of Italian hand-cut crystal.
“It’s actually a really delicate operation. We have to be really conscious and it’s a really light dusting and cleaning of the crystals, so nothing too abrasive,” he explained.
Alan also revealed that viewers would witness the chandeliers being lowered live on air, a task made even more significant as the central rope was being changed for the first time in half a century.
“There are four people up in the ceiling hand winching each chandelier down, which is incredible,” he said, expressing his confidence in the experienced team responsible for the task, including one member who has been part of the process since 1986.
Viewers swiftly expressed their discontent on X with one user stating: “# BBC Breakfast running a piece on cleaning chandeliers at the Tower Ballroom. Utter banal drivel.”
Others chimed in, saying: “No one is interested in cleaning chandeliers #BBC Breakfast,” and “Chandelier lights being cleaned making the news.”
Some viewers questioned the newsworthiness of the segment, with comments like: “@BBCBreakfast the annual cleaning of some lights in Blackpool tower ballroom is newsworthy? ? ?” and “@BBCBreakfast you’ll literally cover anything to avoid covering the actual news. Chandelier cleaning? For f***s actual sake what an insult to our intelligence.”