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The One Show says guests were in 'writing bubble' after social distance complaints

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

From Digital Spy

The One Show has attempted to clear up social distancing complaints over a recent segment.

The BBC One chatshow has faced controversy multiple times during the pandemic over its handling of social distancing on-air, with its latest incident occurring during Wednesday's episode (July 8).

Guest hosts Amol Rajan and Kym Marsh were joined via video call by comics Sally Phillips and Ronni Ancona to discuss their charity cook-a-long campaign on July 23 for the Environment Investigation Agency.

However, some viewers questioned why the two women were sitting so close together in the same kitchen, with one asking: "Shouldn't Sally Phillips and Ronnie Ancona be practicing social distancing on #TheOneShow tonight?"

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

Another tweeted The One Show directly: "Wait, why don't they have to socially distance? What?!"

Others were generally just confused over whether the actresses were living together during the pandemic — with the confusion generating enough chatter on social media to garner an on-air response.

Towards the end of the interview, Kym clarified with the comics: "You guys have formed a little writing bubble, haven't you?"

"Yeah," they both answered.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

At the end of the episode, Amol again addressed the social distancing complaints in order to set the record straight for viewers.

"Just for those wondering, Sally and Ronni have formed a bubble while writing together," he explained.

The term 'bubble' in this context refers to a small group one interacts with outside of immediate family during the quarantine.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

As mentioned, The One Show has faced lots of social distancing controversy in the past. In the early days of the pandemic, Alex Jones and Patrick Kielty social distanced live on air after being cricitised by viewers.

Guest Dara Ó Briain later mocked The One Show for over-correcting the problem a few weeks later by nearly seating him entirely off-stage for his interview.

The One Show airs Mondays through Fridays at 7pm on BBC One.


The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.


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