Countryfile viewers ‘switch off after five minutes’ as they blast BBC for ‘scamming’ audience
COUNTRYFILE viewers ‘switched off after five minutes’ as they blasted the BBC for ‘scamming’ the audience.
Sunday’s episode of Countryfile saw John Craven and Margherita Taylor travel to Suffolk to celebrate the work of rural writer Ronald Blythe.
Margherita met nature writer Melissa Harrison, who was inspired to move to the area because of Ronald’s work.
Meanwhile John, 82, chatted to a proud Suffolk speaker, who explained how the dialect evolved.
But it was John’s other interview with project manager Max Bridger that got some viewers annoyed.
Max is leading an engineering project in Cornwall which aims to switch houses from gas to renewable energy grids.
John said: “One solution is to utilise natural heat sourced from underground. Heat the Streets led by Kensa, is connecting 250 homes in the village of Stithians to their very own heat pump grid.”
Max added: “This is a world first and I feel quite privileged to be the project manager that’s leading this engineering project.
“You feel like you’re making a difference and you feel like you’re having a positive impact on what’s going on in the world.
“Climate change is something I am very passionate about and it’s definitely what led me to this job.”
But taking to Twitter, one Countryfile fan raged: “I gave #countryfile another try tonight but only lasted 5 minutes. Sick of hearing the BBC trying to indoctrinate us all about effing climate change.”
Another added: “I remember when #countryfile was about farming and rural matters.”
A third tweeted: “Let it be said #Countryfile has long been #Towniefile. Biased BBC. #Climatechange rammed down your throat at every opportunity.”
Others went into more detail as to why the segment annoyed them so much.
One wrote: “#countryfile what a con! I am all for reducing impact on the planet but I just googled how much ground source heat pumps cost to install – between £12000 and £45000 and the government think 6k grant would help haha but what an absolute disgrace.”
Another raged: “Pushing c****y (cold) heat pumps. Some of the young people flogging them are waffling and mumbling about climate change but don’t seem to have a clue what they are talking about.
“Also trying to sell useless insulation – leading to damp homes. S** off. #countryfile #scam.”
Countryfile airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.