The BBC will use up to 400 staff to cover the Pope’s four-day visit to Britain, more people than it sent to the World Cup.
The first day alone, when Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Edinburgh for an audience with the Queen on Thursday, will be covered by 300 staff for more than 12 hours of programming on BBC1, BBC2, BBC News and Radio 5 Live online.
Much of that will be while most of the country is at work. Director general Mark Thompson, a Roman Catholic, has attracted criticism for sidelining other Christian groups and for excessive staffing – 292 were sent to this year’s World Cup and 274 to the Glastonbury Festival.
Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The BBC is constantly pleading poverty but when you look at how they’re actually spending licence fee money it seems that sometimes they don’t show any restraint.”
A BBC spokeswoman said staff numbers had not been fully decided but would be of “an appropriate scale” to reflect the “historic significance of the event”.
The taxpayer will foot a £12million bill for the visit on which some of the Pope’s entourage will stay at a five-star hotel where rooms cost up to £1,375 a night.