Channel 4 has failed to pay a single penny to viewers cheated in the Richard and Judy phone quiz scam, despite promising full reimbursement nearly two months ago. The scandal, revealed by The Mail on Sunday, saw the programme's daily competition, You Say We Pay, defraud viewers out of tens of thousands of pounds.
A hotline was set up after Richard Madeley's televised promise that affected viewers would get their money back. However, callers reported being 'fobbed off' without satisfactory explanations. On Friday, Channel 4 claimed that the delay was due to an error with the refund forms, which had the wrong bar code printed on them. Correct forms were finally sent out at 5pm that day, but only after the broadcaster was contacted by this newspaper.
Potentially, Channel 4 could be forced to pay up to £750,000 in refunds, sharing the cost with programme maker Cactus TV. However, many victims must provide itemised phone bills to prove they were cheated, and some have said the amounts involved 'weren't worth the bother'. Amanda Thomas, 40, from Berkshire, who raised concerns two years ago, said: 'For me, it is the principle of the thing. They should not get away with this.'
Another viewer who complained to Channel 4 was told it 'wasn't really our responsibility' and was urged to contact Cactus. The managing director of Cactus, Amanda Ross, insisted it was Channel 4's responsibility. Channel 4 confirmed that while they share responsibility with Cactus, the task of organising refunds falls to them. Any unclaimed money will be donated to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
The scandal has triggered a string of revelations about broadcasters duping the public in premium-rate phone line competitions. Icstis, the premium-rate calls regulator, is still investigating and is expected to publish its findings next month.
