Samira Ahmed defends Newswatch's big red sofa
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Newswatch gives BBC viewers a chance to have their say on any of its segments as well as on the network itself. Since its launch in 1983, the BBC has been instantly recognisable because of its iconic big red sofa, which presenters and their guests sit on throughout its news programmes. While the piece of furniture is a central feature of BBC programming, this morning Samira Ahmed had to address fans’ questions regarding why it was still needed.
Newswatch host Samira explained that viewers are always welcome to share their thoughts on the show, leading to queries about the show’s sofa.
She began: “You’ve already been letting us know your views on our news studio as invited and here are a couple of comments about, well, this sofa.”
Reading out the tweet from John Telfer, Samira said: “‘We are all living through very hard economic times but do the BBC really expect us to believe that they only have one sofa…
“‘Used by the team on BBC Breakfast in the mornings and Newswatch in the evenings?'”
Another tweet from Irene Mackinnon said: “Why the big sofa for one person?
“No wonder the TV licence is ridiculously expensive. You did ask.”
It was then Samira’s chance on behalf of the BBC to react to their opinions on the show’s furniture.
She also gave fans an insight into how the set is actually used, confirming that there isn’t just one sofa used by the BBC.
Samira said: “We can reassure John that this is a different, although admittedly, rather similar sofa to that used on BBC Breakfast.
“And in answer to Irene, I am very much hoping to have some guests to share it with in the coming weeks.
“And besides, several other BBC programmes use this studio as well.”
The BBC marked four decades of BBC Breakfast earlier this year with the network marking its 100th anniversary in October 2022.
To commemorate BBC Breakfast’s four decades on TV, Jon Kay tracking down the original sofa used in the 1980s.
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In January, Jon tweeted that he made it his mission to find the red leather sofa that was used when the BBC first started.
Presenters at the time reportedly said it had an “embarrassing squeak” whenever they moved in their seats when the show made its debut on January 17, 1983.
He revealed on its anniversary alongside co-host Sally Nugent, that he was successful in finding part of the sofa.
Surprisingly, a section of it was sitting in former presenter Debbie Greenwood’s home.
She presented BBC Breakfast from 1983 to 1986 and was gifted part of the furniture when she left.
Debbie said she would never part with it, despite it residing in her spare room most of the time.
She told Jon: “That sofa changed my life. I’d never get rid of it.
“Imagine all the famous bottoms that have sat on it!”
BBC Breakfast is available to watch every day from 6am on BBC One.
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