View source for Click (TV programme)

{{About||Click's sister radio show on [[BBC World Service]]|Digital Planet|the Philippine TV series of the same name|Click (Philippine TV series)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = BBC Click logo.png
| alt_name             = ''Click Online'' <small>(2000–05)</small>
| genre                = Review show
| presenter            = [[Spencer Kelly]] and [[Lara Lewington]]
| country              = United Kingdom
| language             = English
| num_episodes         = 1,000
| location             = [[BBC Pacific Quay]], [[Glasgow]]
| runtime              = 30 minutes (approx.)
| company              = [[BBC News]]
| network              = [[BBC News (UK TV channel)|BBC News (UK feed)]]<br />[[BBC News (international TV channel)|BBC News (international feed)]]<br />[[BBC Two]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|2000|04|06|df=y}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|2025|03|22|df=y}}
| related              = ''[[Digital Planet]]''
}}
'''''Click''''' (formerly '''''Click Online''''') is a [[BBC]] television programme which was broadcast between 6 April 2000 and 22 March 2025, covering technology news and developments in the world of technology and the Internet. Its final presenters were [[Spencer Kelly]] and [[Lara Lewington]]. It was created by then-BBC presenter [[Stephen Cole (broadcaster)|Stephen Cole]].

Since its debut on 6 April 2000, it broadcast a new episode every week, marking its 1,000th episode on 6 July 2019.<ref name="1000th">{{Citation|title=Click 1000 - The Future of Television|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006kdt/click-click-1000-the-future-of-television|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-08}}</ref>
In October 2024, the channel announced it was to axe the programme after 25 years, alongside its interview show ''[[HARDtalk]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvzoneuk.com/post/bbcclick-axedrep1#google_vignette|title=CLICK: BBC NEWS TECHNOLOGY SHOW AXED AMID BUDGET CUTS|date=16 October 2024|website=TV Zone UK|accessdate=2 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/bbc/bbc-news-axes-click-after-25-years/5198226.article|title=BBC News axes Click after 25 years|first=Ellie|last=Kahn|website=Broadcast|accessdate=2 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://x.com/spenley/status/1846474074412679289|title= The only technology news that I never wanted to have to bring you. From me and @LaraLewington, thank you so much for having us.|date=16 October 2024|website=X|publisher= [[Spencer Kelly|@Spenley]]}}</ref> Spencer Kelly, the lead presenter of the programme, later confirmed on social media that he had “filmed his final piece for the programme”.<ref>https://www.threads.net/@spenleykelly/post/DHAua9Vs_zK</ref> This episode was broadcast on 15 March 2025,<ref>https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/bbc-click-cancelled-spencer-kelly-31206818</ref> with the programme's final episode airing a week later.

A successor to the show, ''Tech Now'', launched on 29 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-24 |title=BBC launches replacement technology programme |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2025/03/24/bbc-launches-replacement-technology-programme/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Broadband TV News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Format ==
Each episode is introduced by the presenters, Spencer Kelly and Lara Lewington, and features reports about technology developments all over the world by a group of BBC contributors. Reports cover a variety of 'tech' subjects, including consumer technologies and issues, social impact of emerging technologies, video games, and innovations in mobile technology.

The show currently features a "Week in Tech" segment, compiling the week's biggest news in the technology area.

The programme previously included ''Webscape'', a closing segment hosted by [[Kate Russell (reporter)|Kate Russell]] recommending new and useful websites. This segment was dropped but Russell continued doing general reporting for the show.

There are different editions of the programme, two 30-minute programmes (shown on [[BBC News (British TV channel)|UK feed of BBC News channel]]), a global edition ([[BBC News (international TV channel)|international feed of BBC News channel]]), and a 15-minute version ([[BBC One]] and [[BBC News (British TV channel)|UK feed of BBC News channel]] during ''[[BBC Breakfast]]''). A four-minute version also appears on BBC World News at varying times of the week.

[[BBC World Service]] used to broadcast a weekly sister radio show, ''[[Digital Planet]]'',  which, for a time, shared the same name. This ended in March 2023. It was presented by [[Gareth Mitchell]] and contributors [[Bill Thompson (technology writer)|Bill Thompson]], [[Ghislaine Boddington]] and Angelica Mari.

=== Local versions ===
[[Persian language|Persian]]-speakers can also watch ''BBC Persian Click'' online and on [[BBC Persian]] TV presented by [[Nima Akbarpour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/about_the_programme/default.stm |title=About the programme |work=BBC News |date=23 July 2010 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref> Further local versions are due to launch from Autumn 2018, including Click Tamil in October 2018, with the aim of having the show broadcast in up to 20 languages.<ref>{{Citation|title=Click - Live in India|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bl6gv3/click-live-in-india|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-22}}</ref>

== History ==
The show started as ''Click Online'' in April 2000, hosted by [[Stephen Cole (broadcaster)|Stephen Cole]], and featured reports focused on the rise of the Internet and related technologies.<ref name=1000th /> Thursday, 29 December 2005 marked the last edition of ''Click Online'', as the show was previously known, coinciding with the departure of Stephen Cole after 295 shows. The programme was thereafter renamed ''Click'', with new music and titles, and with [[Spencer Kelly]], an existing reporter and producer on the show who also compiled reports for ''[[The Gadget Show]]'' on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]], as the new host. Since then it has expanded its "online" focus, now featuring reports on technology developments from all over the world. Since April 2020, existing reporter [[Lara Lewington]] has become co-host.

Episode 774 was the world's first programme to be shot and edited entirely on mobile devices.<ref name=1000th />

The 12 March 2016 programme (#827) was broadcast in 360 degrees, and is the first entire episode of a TV programme to be broadcast as such.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35787139|title = Click: Watch a full show in 360 degrees|work = BBC News}}</ref>

On 6 July 2019 the show's 1000th episode was broadcast. It consisted of an interactive episode where viewers could decide what to watch next.<ref name=1000th />

In March 2021, the BBC announced that the technology department, including Click, would be relocating to Pacific Quay in Glasgow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC set to move jobs to Glasgow in biggest change in decades |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19170162.bbc-set-move-technology-department-glasgow/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=Glasgow Times |language=en}}</ref> The show stopped producing new episodes during April 2022 to facilitate the move, with repeats shown, and aired the first episode produced on Glasgow on 7 May 2022.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=@bbcclick |user=BBCClick |number=1522211014103605255 |date=5 May 2022 |title=They've rolled up their sleeves, and after a few weeks of repeats, the show's back on the road. Do tune in! https://t.co/K34Lsr7KKB |language=en |access-date=4 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204020618/https://twitter.com/bbcclick/status/1522211014103605255 |archive-date=4 December 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Botnet controversy ===
In 2009 the show and the BBC created some controversy when it aired a special episode highlighting the dangers of botnets and how easy it was to get caught in one. The show bought control of a [[botnet]] of some 22,000 infected computers (for "a few thousand dollars")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7938201.stm |title=Gaining access to a hacker's world |work=BBC News |date=13 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref> from a Russian hacker, and used it to send spam to an email address set up for the experiment and to perform a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on a website set up by Prev-X (an internet security company that provided technical support for the show).<ref name="Elinor Mills">{{cite web|last=Mills |first=Elinor |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10195550-83.html |title=BBC buys, uses botnet to show dangers to PCs |publisher=CNET News |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref> After the programme was made the computers on the botnet were sent a piece of software to remove the malware and a warning was sent to them telling the users what had happened and that they were vulnerable.

The response was mixed with the show receiving many emails both for and against the programme along with some negative press.<ref>{{cite web|last=Leyden |first=John |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/16/bbc_botnet_bought|title=BBC Click paid cybercrooks to buy botnet |publisher=The Register |date=16 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2265319/BBC-cybercrime-probe-backfires |title=BBC cybercrime probe backfires |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=16 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref> The BBC was criticized by some legal consulting organisations as well as computer security companies. Computer security expert and senior technology consultant at Sophos, Graham Cluley, asked in his blog whether the BBC was breaking the Computer Misuse Act - which makes it an offence in the UK to access or modify a third-party computer without the owner's consent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2009/03/12/bbc-break-law-botnet-send-spam/ |title=Did BBC break the law by using a botnet to send spam? |work=Naked Security |publisher=Sophos |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref> However internet security commentator [[Melih Abdulhayoğlu]], founder of international computer security company [[Comodo Group]], made a video in support of the BBC.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIbb7eZC4g  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-mIbb7eZC4g |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Well Done, BBC |via=YouTube |date=16 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Click rebutted criticisms by stating in its Twitter posts that: {{cquote|We would not put out a show like this one without having taken legal advice.|BBC Click Team, from Twitter<ref name="Elinor Mills"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BBCClick |title=BBC Click |publisher=Twitter |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref>}}

== Presenters and reporters==
In addition to presenters Kelly and Lewington, reporters include LJ Rich, Paul Carter, Marc Cieslak{{Reasonator|Q110243614}}, Zoe Kleinman, Nick Kwek{{Reasonator|Q86975310}}, Shiona McCallum,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.responsesource.com/bulletin/news/shiona-mccallum-makes-the-move-to-bbc-click/|title=Shiona McCallum Makes the move to BBC Click|website=responsesource.com|access-date=19 February 2022}}</ref> Alasdair Keane <ref>{{cite tweet |author=@bbcclick |user=BBCClick |number=1578645333386600449 |date=8 October 2022 |title=This week on @bbcclick ⁦@alasdairkeano⁩'s debut report on efforts to digitally persevere Ukraine, @spenley explores the latest flexible screens, @annaholligan creates a digital model of herself and @laralewington tried on some virtual fashion https://t.co/nyFWmCZF8M |language=en |access-date=4 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015040436/https://twitter.com/BBCClick/status/1578645333386600449 |archive-date=15 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Kitty Knowles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-50511553|title=The week in tech|work=BBC News |access-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> Former reporters include Dan Simmons, Omar Mehtab, Jen Copestake and Chris Fox.

Previous presenters of the show have included [[Stephen Cole (broadcaster)|Stephen Cole]] who left the BBC to work for [[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera International]]. [[Kate Russell (reporter)|Kate Russell]] left in August 2020 after 14 years being part of the ''Click'' team.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Kate Russell #standswithUkraine🇺🇦 #MashaAmini |user=katerussell |number=1292023454712107010 |date=8 August 2020 |title=After 14 years of covering tech for @BBCClick, I have decided it is time to retire from the show to work on a new media venture. https://t.co/39neRodnfs - combining my 3 loves of tech, broadcasting and animals! Thank you SO much to all who have followed my career and supported me |language=en |access-date=4 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409134948/https://twitter.com/katerussell/status/1292023454712107010 |archive-date=9 April 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Other BBC journalists occasionally present segments of the programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/3593892.stm |title=About Click |work=BBC News |date=6 January 2006 |access-date=5 March 2013}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|BBC}}
* {{bbc.co.uk|click|''Click''}}
* {{BBC programme}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7MBBnpxWIo Click Online - Episode 1], ''first broadcast 6 April 2000.''

{{BBC News}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Click (Tv Series)}}
[[Category:BBC television news shows]]
[[Category:BBC World News original programming]]
[[Category:Documentary television series about technology]]
[[Category:2000 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2025 British television series endings]]
[[Category:2010s British television series]]
[[Category:2020s British television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]