It’s rather amusing to imagine the thought process that must have gripped the minds of the BBC producers who devised “Can you bank on me?” :
BBC Producer One: You know this credit crunch thing deserves some prime time viewing.
BBC Producer Two: The public are certainly angry about it — particularly at those bankers.
BBC Producer One: Indeed, perhaps we should attempt to bridge the gap between them?
Yeah right. Rather:
BBC Producer One: People are certainly angry about this credit crunch.
BBC Producer Two: Indeed, perhaps we should throw a couple to the wolves and see what happens.
Et voila — from the bowels of the BBC creative process emerged Monday night’s programming, in which an ex-hedge fund analyst and former senior analyst at a “leading bank” attempt to turn around the fortunes of a Blackpool hotel and an organic dairy company, respectively. Griselda Anderson-Williams, 31, was made redundant from her £75,000-a-year job in November 2008, while Amit Patel, 28, resigned after feeling “unchallenged” post the onslaught of the credit crunch.
The not-so-subtle subtext of the programming is the blame game of the financial crisis. The two bankers descend from their ivory towers into the nasty, brutish and short life of Britain’s plebians, and are immediately put on the defensive. The workers at the hotel are convinced that banks and “hedge row funds” are to blame for their current difficulties, while Patel is put on the spot by farmers quizzing him about the lavishness of his (former) lifestyle.
Of course, at least one of the bankers is more than willing to play the blame game too. Anderson-Williams sparks a conversation about the hotel employees’ own personal levels of debt, which makes for uncomfortable viewing. Patel is a rather more sanguine; willing to partially blame his former industry too.
It’s difficult to say whether anyone learns anything. Certainly, viewers ‘are treated’ to the bankers being taken down a peg or two. Patel milks cows and mucks out the pigpen. Anderson-Williams cleans toilets and struggles to waitress the hotel dining room. It’s basically The Simple Life for bankers.
Those who can stomach the schadenfreude-overload, can watch the full thing here.
Related links:
Bankers discover the year of ‘sorry’ – FT Alphaville
Goodwin rage? – FT Alphaville