BBC criticised over 'Songs of Pretence'

But at Lichfield Cathedral, it was Christmas and Easter all rolled into one.

Two editions of the BBC's Songs of Praise - one featuring candle-lit carols and shown on December 17, the other to be aired this Easter Sunday - were recorded within hours of each other using the same Staffordshire congregation.

The Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Rev Jonathan Gledhill, admitted that the double filming would give an "air of unreality" to the Easter show.

Scroll down for more

And while the corporation congratulated itself on saving money, it will do nothing to ease disquiet over programmes which appear to be live but are not.

Only two weeks ago BBC's Director General, Mark Thompson, was forced to apologise after a producer faked a live phone-in competition on its flagship Blue Peter children's show. Other channels have been accused of ripping off quiz-show viewers by supplying fake winners or asking impossible questions.

"People lose confidence in what they see if they believe it is created, rather than really happening," said Bishop Gledhill.

"That is what happened with Blue Peter. They didn't realise that their actions would undermine the whole trust between broadcaster and punter."

A spokesman for the bishop added, however, that he was not attacking the BBC and that the diocese felt privileged that the broadcaster chose Lichfield for its Christmas and Easter shows.

Budget-conscious programme makers actually filmed three shows at the cathedral. On a Wednesday a Nativity scene was set up and the church, sparsely decked with few flowers in keeping with Advent, was used for the Christmas service.

The next day members of the congregation, who were invited from churches around the area, were asked to select more springlike attire and returned to find the candles had been replaced by spring flowers and brighter lighting. They were also asked to sit in different places.

Finally on the Friday the cathedral was returned to its normal state to be used as venue for a visiting choir, with no congregation, for a programme yet to go out. A BBC spokesman said there was no intention to deceive viewers and insisted it was just the best way to make the most from their licence fee.

"Cathedrals are expensive places. They spend a lot of time rigging up and getting them ready, therefore it makes sense."

She said it was "common practice" to film at least two programmes from any venue used and added that Songs of Praise was always prerecorded. It is not the only one.

Three years ago it emerged that Jools Holland's Hootenanny, a New Year's Eve programme on BBC2 featuring a 'live' countdown to the turn of the year, had actually been recorded three weeks earlier after one of its stars, Lulu, was seen 4,000 miles away in Barbados when the show went out.