Liberal Burblings

I watched GMTV quite a lot (though my choice was always BBC Breakfast). This week, in the interests of research, I have been watching ITV’s alleged “new” “Daybreak”.

The content of Daybreak is more or less the same as GMTV.

So I want to concentrate on the set, music and logo. You will see a theme developing, as I go through each element in turn:

1. The backdrop

It sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? Start a fresh programme with a backdrop of London. “London Tonight” have been doing it, presumably in the same studio, for years (but they have the advantage of the lights being on when they do it in the winter).

One slight snag. For half of “Daybreak”, particularly in winter, the London backdrop is black or dark grey. Not very cheerful. Here’s a sample from the first day:

-It’s as dark as the back of your grandma’s grate. Light grey is the best the backdrop gets later on in the programme, as seen here:

And much of the time, the backdrop seems to be dominated by window frame. Black/silver window frame.

2. The presenters

They wear dark, sombre clothes to go with the dark backdrop. Adrian Chiles is the perfect undertaker. A miserable expression. Christine Bleakley looks as though her limbs are too long. She is angular and sharp, both physically and vocally. They are both amusing and friendly, yes. But this never overcomes the overall feel of the programme as being “breakfast at the undertaker’s”. Yes, a cheerful undertaker’s, I’ll grant you.

3. The music.

It’s quite nice. But more on the side of funereal than the GMTV music.

4. The logo

Dark purple. Funereal purple.

5. The sofas

Same dark, funereal purple.

Honestly. ITV have spent millions on coming up with this set design and they end up depressing us all, when all we want is to be cheered up.

Related posts:

1. Sympathy for Blair?

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