Watchdog (TV programme)

Watchdog
The title card used in 2017, featuring the addition of "Live", referring to episodes being broadcast live when aired.
Genre	Investigative journalism
Directed by	Jaco Smith Mark Harrison Keir MacKenzie
Presented by	Matt Allwright Nikki Fox Steph McGovern (See full list)
Theme music composer	Music 4
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	41 (inc. daytime)
No. of episodes	1,084
Production
Executive producer	Lisa Ausden
Producers	Helen Collins Michelle Cox Emma Jay
Production locations	BBC Television Centre (1980–2012) The Hospital Club (2013—15) Broadcasting House (2016) dock10 studios (2017–19)[1]
Editor	Jeff Anderson
Running time	60 minutes
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	14 July 1985 (1985-07-14) – 17 October 2019 (2019-10-17)
Related
Rogue Traders Watchdog Test House
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Watchdog is a British consumer investigative journalism programme that was broadcast on BBC One from 14 July 1985 to 17 October 2019. The programme focused on investigating complaints and concerns made by viewers and consumers over problematic experiences with traders, retailers and other companies around the UK, over customer services, products, security, and possible fraudulent/criminal behaviour. Since it first began, the programme had achieved great success in changing the awareness consumers have of their purchasing rights, as well as pushing forward for changes in company policies and consumer laws, and in some cases helping to close down businesses whose practices have left many people dissatisfied and out of pocket. The show's longstanding slogan was "the programme you cannot afford to miss".

In the course of its history, Watchdog would spawn a number of spin-off shows, and be presented by a variety of hosts. It started as a feature on Nationwide in 1980 before it became a standalone series in 1985. After 35 years, and with more than a thousand episodes aired, the BBC announced in February 2020 that Watchdog would be discontinued as a standalone series, becoming a segment on The One Show to be presented by Matt Allwright and Nikki Fox on Wednesdays at 19:00.^[2][3]