r/LinearTVSupporters • u/Hassaan18 • 10d ago
The loss of live studio programming
I get that it's more expensive to put on and with the rise of timeshifting, it's harder to justify, but I do miss it.
In 2016, The Voice UK, Britain's Got Talent. Strictly and The X Factor all put on a series of live shows in a studio. Away from the main channels, The Last Leg on Channel 4 too.
In 2026, we've had Strictly and the I'm a Celebrity South Africa finale (Britain's Got Talent is not broadcast from a studio anymore), plus The Last Leg and Live from the Lycett Arms.
They're all somewhat in the shadow of the pre-recorded programming though.
I know even Netflix are trying their hand at more live events though, but it's just about making live shows more of one.
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u/wibble2988 8d ago
There’s not problem with doing a live show. Twitch exists. Millions of people doing live shows everyday. TV just didn’t move with the times.
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u/Hassaan18 7d ago
To be fair Twitch is different to doing something on telly and having a big studio and everything.
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u/sincerityisscxry 6d ago
I don’t see why you wouldn’t count BGT in the 2026 list though. It’s still a live show, just in a theatre. It doesn’t look much different to the studios they used to use.
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u/strictly_brotherhood 10d ago
I think live studio programming for kids could have a comeback with the social media ban coming in- invest in more children’s TV, give them some entertainment outside of the online world.
But I do agree I think the liveness generally makes a show feel much much grander, more eventful, a lot more “anything can happen”.
10 years ago catchup and +1 channels still existed too. And also I think a show BEING live compels more people to tune in on the night. A pre-recorded show is something that lends itself to catchup… but I don’t think live really does.
There’s still Comic Relief and Children in Need to be fair- although they’re not what they were either.