bbc postpones panorama show

The BBC has postponed a broadcast of its Panorama news show that was to have included a look at the beleaguered Essex property development company, Harlequin.

bbc postpones panorama show

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A BBC spokesperson told International Adviser that the broadcast had been postponed because "we received information late in the production process of this film".

"It is hoped the film will be shown sometime in the near future," the spokesperson added.

The show had  originally been scheduled to air on BBC1 at 8:30pm on Monday.

The Panorama show was billed as "the Great Savings Wipe Out", and according to a plug on the BBC’s website, it was to be an investigation into “a series of financial scandals which have put at risk the life savings” of thousands.

The inclusion of investments in overseas off-plan property developments like Harlequin in the self-invested personal pensions of UK  investors has been an issue recently, as a number of such investments have failed to perform as well as they were expected to.

As reported, the Financial Services Authority issued an alert on Harlequin in January, and on 1 March, contacted providers of self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), asking them to say whether they have any clients invested in the firm, which it said is not FSA regulated.

Through a spokesman, Harlequin has refuted allegations of wrong-doing, and said it regarded the FSA request for information from advisers as “merely a fact finding exercise… to determine the level of investment in Harlequin, which is a typical approach taken by the FSA across many products and is no reflection” on the company.

"Harlequin has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and looks forward to concentrating on developing the business for the benefit of all its investors," the spokesman said, in a statement last week.

 

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