RTÉ has issued a disclaimer at the end of The Full Irish Hidden Camera Show after presenter Donncha O’Callaghan was filmed, apparently, being driven around without a seatbelt.
The comedy sketch series, which depicts the former rugby star, Doireann Garrihy, who is now back on screens presenting DWTS, and Carl Mullan playing pranks on the public, is currently being repeated on RTÉ One.
During each episode, the hosts give a synopsis of their pranks from a vintage Fiat 500 while travelling to their destination. And while Garrihy and Mullan are seen buckled up in the front seats, there is no sign O’Callaghan has a seatbelt on, which is a legal requirement.
However, a disclaimer has been added to the last five episodes of the programme’s second season, confirming that the car was in fact being pulled by a trailer and not being driven by the presenters.
It states: ‘Filming of the presenters in the car was carried out using a lowloader/trailer film unit. The car was not being driven during these filmed sequences.’
The requirement of wearing seatbelts during filming is detailed in RTÉ’s content and standards guidelines. ‘We should observe the law,’ it states. ‘This includes ensuring that presenters, actors and contributors who are driving use seatbelts, fit child car seats correctly and use the correct mobile phone equipment. If using motorcycles, they use crash helmets.’
Donna Price, of the Irish Road Victims’ Association, said the inclusion of the explanation that the car was not being driven on the road during filming ‘seems like somebody drew their attention to it’.
‘That’s what it looks like to me. Obviously, it’s not good, it would be a concern because of the message it sends out that it’s ok to drive along the road without a seat belt.
'We are concerned about it and the lack of seat-belt wearing. So I’m glad that they have put in the caveat now and perhaps they can be forgiven this once but it’s something we will keep an eye on,’ she said.
Donna set up the organisation in 2012 after her 18-year-old son Darren died in a road accident in March 2006. She added: ‘The Top Gear programme used to drive me mad for that very same reason, it was very popular and they were always driving around and videoing themselves dangerously driving and looking at phones and everything like that.
‘It was reckless in my view. After all, wearing a belt is for your own safety and the safety of your passengers. It’s incredible the number of people now who don’t wear a belt anymore and I see people clicking in the belt so they don’t make a noise but leaving it behind their backs, incredible.
'We fully support road safety measures and encourage people to wear their seat belts, they’re there for their own safety and the safety of their passengers.’
Adding an explanation to later episodes as to how the scene was safely filmed was ‘good to see that correction being made, but I would imagine somebody has contacted them and drawn their attention to it, we’ll never know’.
It’s not the first time well-known personalities have landed in hot water for apparently not abiding by the rules of the road. In 2011, the late broadcaster Gay Byrne, who was also the head of the Road Safety Authority, was left red-faced after he was seen wearing a seatbelt incorrectly during a BBC series.
During an episode of Terry Wogan’s Ireland, both men were filmed in the rear of a Mercedes S-class while being driven around Dublin. And while their belts appear to be secured, neither is placed across the chest as it should be, which various safety groups said poses a danger to the passenger and other travellers.
RTÉ and the RSA have been contacted by the Mail for comment.
