Rocketed like east London house prices
11-month wait to secure a construction contract.
The report cited “over-optimistic initial estimates of costs”, inflation and delays on health and safety grounds, such as dealing with asbestos.
The NAO said “Disappointingly, some of the reasons were built into E20 at the outset and could have been addressed earlier.”
But they added: “E20 has been subject to ongoing scrutiny and, in the VETERAN TV writer Andrew Davies, best known for his racy adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, says he has “sexed up” BBC1’s hotly anticipated classic Les Miserables.
Davies says he has added sexual tension between characters Marius, played by Josh O’Connor, and young French girl Eponine, (Erin Kellyman) to spice things up.
He said: “You know how Marius is in love with Cosette? In my version, he is drawn to Eponine, although he feels guilty. She is past 18 months, the BBC have made many improvements. The benefits of the programme still appear to be broadly achievable, albeit at a later date.”
Other MPs were critical of the corporation for poor planning. “However, I can’t imagine any of the straight-talking characters accepting always coming in his room, swanning about. So I thought well, he’s a lusty young man, I am sure he’d dream about her.”
Asked if that happened in the novel, Davies replied: “Of course it’s not in the text. Victor Hugo doesn’t write filthy rubbish like that.”
He also suggests Javert, played by David Oyelowo, was secretly in love with his nemesis Jean Valjean (Dominic West). The six-parter, which stars Olivia Colman as Madame Thenardie, starts on December 30. DRAMA Colman in show this outrageous overspend of public money.”
Shadow arts minister Kevin Brennan said: “EastEnders is one of the nation’s favourite shows and, although we all want to prevent Albert Square falling down, it’s important that the BBC do their utmost to deliver value for money for the licence payer.”
The BBC argued that the problems encountered with the building work were beyond their control.
But Meg Hillier MP, chairwoman of the committee of public accounts, said: “It is critical, given the BBC’s funding pressures, that every pound of licence fee payers’ money is spent effectively.”
The BBC said in a statement: “It’s a large, complex project which has already delivered many other vital improvements at BBC Elstree Centre.
“But like any building work of this scale, there have been challenges on the way, including construction market issues beyond our control and from working on a brownfield site.”