The BBC has admitted that a geography blunder where one of its flagship programmes said Haslar was in Portsmouth was ‘in hindsight’ not the best thing to do.

It comes as a raft of complaints were directed at the BBC and the programme’s maker after an episode of Interior Design Masters filmed at the former Gosport hospital, which is now being transformed into a waterfront development, repeatedly said the site was in Portsmouth instead of Gosport where it actually is.

Viewers bombarded the programme’s social media, as well as The News’ social media, to voice their displeasure at the error - with the town’s MP Caroline Dinenage also writing to the BBC about the error which she said was not a one-off and has happened before.

Alan Carr at The Lightship at Haslar Marina – just down the road from Haslar - evoking that Titanic feeling | BBC

Now the BBC has responded to the complaints and have begun to write back to many of those people who contacted them.

In one response shared to The News, the BBC complaints team said that it had contacted the programme makers about the error and said: “They explained that they referenced ‘Portsmouth’ to identify the location because it is the closest big city to Gosport. They felt that for wider recognition it would enable viewers nationwide to understand where the designers were heading.

Alan Carr with the Spinnaker Tower in the background | BBC

“In hindsight they acknowledge that there were better ways to describe where the Royal Haslar is and we’re grateful to you for raising this with us and hope it didn’t spoil your overall enjoyment of the programme.”

The News has previously involved both the programme makers and the BBc to comment but they have declined.

Interior Design Masters is available to view on BBC iplayer.

Interior Design Masters: BBC admit geography blunder in flagship programme which sparked outrage could have been avoided

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