The Consumer Show on RTÉ One returns on Tuesday 19th April at 8.30pm

They made a big deal about local authorities making it mandatory that you join their insurance scheme which costs nearly twice what you could get in the high street on your own but made no effort to investigate the reasons for this or to name who is involved in this over charging, that was really annoying.

The presentation was terrible.. a class of trainee 11yrs old would have done a better job.
 

When the show was announced I phoned them and emailed them, offering offering to put a note up on Askaboutmoney looking for subjects. But they never got back to me, which I thought was odd.

I suspect that after the first show, they will get calls with interesting problems.
 
Great idea. Also "House Hunters" with Liz O'Kane. I have to admire RTE, who have left her 2007 webchat online in all its embarrassing glory:

[broken link removed]

Liz: Yes, every market is cyclical and if anybody thinks this downturn is a surprise, they are foolish. However, the market will come back.

Ouchies!
 
What did anyone think of the Freefall programme about the banks, I only caught the end of it - any good?

I was watching it TLC, quite interesting I thought. On again next week, but dealing with other issues I think. Must tune in!
 
I thought the Ryanair bit was infantile. For some reason I cannot warm to the lady from the EU Consumer Advice Centre who seems to pop up on every programme. It's same old, same old.
If they have a section advising us to pay off our credit card debt before anything else I will head for the hills.
 
Id be far more interested on a follow up show to 'Im an Adult get me out of here' - would love to know what became of the people who bought during the height of the boom on that show.

I remember a particular episode where a young man was looking for a house. He had a young child (but was not with the mother) and minded her quite a lot. He had an anxiety attack half way through the show because of the "scaremongering" in the media - the presenter had a talk with him and he ended up buying a property that was miles from his work and where the child was based.
It would be brave of RTE (and the purchasers) to do a follow up programme.
 
Folks

Please stay on topic. This is for discussion of The Consumer Show not for Letting Off Steam generally.

Thanks
 
If people contact them with problems are they going to give solutions to these problems or is it going to be a show where we are told to get the AA to check out that car, or to read the small print on your insurance policy or to shop around to get the best price or to be aware about buying gift vouchers this Christmas or to check the weight of your suitcase when flying with Ryanair etc. The same old rubbish regurgitated on every other consumer show.
 
Hi Odea

It's very difficult to come with new stuff.

Lots of consumers are not very wise and this sort of "old" stuff has to be repeated.

Brendan
 
They have Tina Leonard on it. She does not give the best advice in all fairness. She advised people earlier this year to sue an post for failing to deliver a passport within the 10 day timeframe during the strike.
 
Have to say I hate the set on the show - reminds me of shows from the 80's/early 90's - can't think what show in particular it reminds me of, maybe the 'Really wild show' or something. Anyway it's pretty cheesy!
 
They did respond to public opinion and dropped Eddie's " take on this week's news".

Is there something unnerving about the way Eddie looks at you, or is it just me?

I suspect he got new glasses or needs new glasses as he appears to be straining to read the teleprompter which results in the menacing start.

Brendan
 
I have just read Liam Fay's review of it in the Sunday Times. It is worth subscribing to read the article.

"the search for a (telephone) handset that can do the backstroke was among the first campaigns of The Consumer Show, an irritating new series that posts as a fearless champion of the little guy but actually involves shameless pandering to the petty-minded"

"more suitable as knockabout children's entertainment thatn grown-up consumer journalism..."

"Ultimately,however, the show's most distracting feature is the unignorable strangeness of Hobb's television persona. ...

Hobbs has struggled to make his increasingly eccentric voice heard, he has alternated between the roles of Mr Angry and Mr Bojangles....

As a result, he has developed an exceedingly odd demeanour, ememplified by grandiloquent patter that contains all the attributes of comedy, except humour".
 
I looked at the complete first episode to ensure I wasn't just commenting on 5 minutes.

I managed about 5 minutes of the second show.

For some reason, I then thought of Bunny Carr and his quiz show of years back. - Don't know why, but maybe this was as appalling & amateurship as the bunny carr show.

It was shockingly bad television.
 
I'm sure you'll do wonders for their viewing figures - I'm determined to check it out now after all these stories.
 
I deleted it as soon as Tina Leonard appeared.
I am sure she will have a piece on consumers shopping rights as per usual. Unfortunately most of us have moved on from this and would now like to see more naming and shaming similar to what the Watchdog show on BBC does.