Escape to the Country viewers have been left less than impressed with the BBC for its apology – of sorts – following scenes filmed in the north of Scotland.
An episode that aired on Monday, August 19, caused uproar among those who live on the 500-mile coastal route (known as NC500) when presenter Denise Nurse joined a couple in their campervan.
The couple had decided to travel around the Scottish coast in their campervan to soak in the sights and search for their ideal home on the Isle of Skye but when speaking to Nurse, they decided to park up on the side of a narrow road.
During the episode, locals at home could only watch in dismay as the Escape to the Country host and the couple parked the motorhome in a passing spot on a narrow road before setting up some deck chairs and stopping for a chat.
In doing so, several angered viewers claimed they’d breached the Highway Code, which warns drivers not to park in passing places on country roads.
One local took to a private Facebook group, NC500 The Land Weeps, to reveal they’d received a response from the Beeb after complaining about the scene.
BBC Escape to the Country: The guests parked their van on the side of a narrow road
BBC
According to the Scottish Sun, they wrote in the group: “While it’s slightly heartening to see they have acknowledged it, they shouldn’t have done this in the first place.
“Their reply does nothing to address the patronising brush off I got the first time I raised it.”
The NC500 local reportedly attached the response the Beeb allegedly sent him alongside his post, which read: “We understand your concerns regarding a segment in Escape to the Country in which an interview with a couple moving to the Isle of Skye was conducted at the side of a road.
“You are of course correct that no matter how brief that filming was for, the Highway Code does advise that drivers should not park in passing places. We also appreciate your point about such matters being even more of an issue in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
BBC Escape to the Country: Denise Nurse showed the couple around several houses in the Isle of Skye
BBC
“While we don’t believe this segment of the programme would encourage people to ignore road signs and to park in places that they shouldn’t, we fully appreciate your concerns and we understand our responsibilities as a TV programme.
“The production team will bear this in mind for future filming and are grateful to you for taking the time to raise this with us.”
A BBC spokesperson told GB News: “Following consultation with the Highland Council, filming of this segment took 15 minutes on a quiet lane with minimal traffic.”
However, the response reportedly shared in the Facebook group didn’t sit well with fellow locals and social media users.
“I find that reply incredibly rude,” one fan fumed in response, the publication claimed. “They’ve just apologised again (whilst still justifying it!) then basically saying b***er off now and don’t contact us again.”
Another is believed to have added: “A poor response. Sadly the audience won’t be aware of what they have said, but they will remember the scene and quite possibly believe that it is an ok thing to do. The damage is already done.”
And a third raged: “The whole thing is a reflection of the sense of propriety tourists and retirees have over the Highlands and Islands. Our homeland is being colonised.”
Nurse hasn’t addressed the backlash her scenes caused but did take to Instagram on the day of the episode’s broadcast to share her fond memories of the experience.
She penned: “Had such a lovely time with Claire and Mark. Totally amazing couple who’d spent a year travelling in a custom made campervan with their daughters and were looking to settle in Scotland.
“Full of adventure and fun and focused on making lots of incredible memories as a family. Totally inspiring.
“Getting to drive through that epic countryside and those mountain views was so special. I wasn’t brave enough to swim in a loch though. Some of the team did. I focused on pretending I was Julie Andrews twirling on a mountain top instead. #goodtimes.” (sic)
