Musicians’ Union calls on BBC to reinstate full Strictly band after Covid cuts
The union accused the dancing show of using silhouetted areas to make it look as if more musicians were performing.
The Musicians’ Union (MU) has called on Strictly Come Dancing to reinstate its full band after it claimed the BBC reduced its numbers due to social distancing measures but did not bring members back at the end of the Covid pandemic.
The MU has said the live band, led by Dave Arch, has been limited to its rhythm section, made up of seven musicians, while the rest of the band, which it says varies in number, are pre-recorded in a studio during a three-hour session.
Figures do not include the singers who continue to perform live on the show.
It said the BBC has offered a compromise of bringing back the full band for four episodes, however the union wants it to return for the full series.
The corporation said it had decided to cut the band’s brass section in order to “ensure the best value for money for audiences”.
The last time Strictly used its full band for the whole series was 2019.
Geoff Ellerby, the MU’s national organiser for recording and broadcasting, said: “Due to the Covid-19 crisis, some band members’ performances were pre-recorded as a necessary safety precaution, with a significantly reduced live band performing along to these backing tracks.
“We worked hard with broadcasters and studios in mitigating the risks to get musicians working under new restrictions, and although we were agreed that following these temporary measures we would work towards normality as soon as possible, Strictly is refusing to re-instate the full live band.
“Given it remains the BBC’s flagship entertainment show, and the very nature of show has always been based on music and dance, this is a deeply disappointing move, and one we can’t accept.
“Due to clever camera work by the production team, it may not have been obvious to viewers until now that the on-screen band has been reduced.
The MU has asked fans of the show to share their support for the band on social media, by pushing for the full group to be reinstated with the hashtag #KeepStrictlyLive.
One anonymous member of the band accused the BBC dancing show of being a “cynical money saving vehicle” after cutting their numbers.
They said: “To cut down the live band and record half the musicians as pre-records is not what the viewers want or expect. A cynical money saving vehicle on the back of the Covid distancing rules is wrong on all levels.
“If this is allowed to continue, then eventually, all live music will disappear and be replaced by taped music. And with the advent of AI, maybe not with any musicians at all.
“Our young up-and coming-musicians will inevitably have no involvement in playing on television entertainment.
Another added: “On top of the huge loss of earnings for the musicians involved, I do personally feel that the staging on the show is misleading.
“The camera angle makes it look like there is a full live band present and on the stage.
“But there are silhouetted areas, that could be assumed to be positions of musicians present. It confuses viewers, making them think the full live band is present, when in fact, it isn’t.”
One player in the group said the BBC was “betraying” them.
They added: “Post-pandemic, we desperately hoped that we would be back in the studio to help us restore some earnings, in what was still a very dark time for the industry.
“With the reopening of a degree of normality in society, autumn 2022 was always going to be the year when we found out whether the BBC were acting faithfully to their word or betraying us.
“Sadly, it became apparent it was the latter, which has continued to this day.
“Nobody in the general public would ever know about this unless they were informed by those inside the industry. It’s a disgrace and we want to bring this issue into the public awareness.”
Naomi Pohl, the MU’s general secretary, said it was “always better for dancers to perform with live musicians”.
She said: “There are very few shows on television with a house band now and we don’t accept that Strictly Come Dancing, of all programmes, needs to cut corners in this way.
“The compromise of restoring the full band to some episodes didn’t go far enough. We will campaign to have them back in the full series and we know our membership of 35,000 will be behind us on this.”
A BBC statement said the band’s brass section would return for three themed specials, another episode yet to be decided, along with the annual visit to Blackpool.
It is understood that production budgets have meant the BBC will not bring the band back for the upcoming series as the MU has requested.
It read: “We are proud to be one of the last remaining shows to still use a live band and singers and remain committed to doing so.
“We advised the Musician’s Union recently that we’ll be increasing the use of the Strictly Come Dancing House Band’s brass section in the upcoming series for three live shows covering themed weeks such as movies and musicals and one other show to be confirmed – in addition to the annual visit to Blackpool.
“For editorial reasons, and to ensure the best value for money for audiences, we are unable to support a brass section for the entire series as we did pre-Covid.”
