The BBC was compelled to withdraw its drama The Curse of Steptoe after accusations of inaccuracies and unfair portrayals, sparking outrage from the family of the late actor Harry H. Corbett and the sitcom's original writers.
Background of the Drama
The Curse of Steptoe, a biopic exploring the making of the classic BBC sitcom Steptoe and Son, aired on BBC Four on March 19, 2008. Starring Jason Isaacs as Harry H. Corbett and Phil Davis as Wilfrid Brambell, the drama attracted 1.41 million viewers, setting a record for the channel. It won the 2008 Royal Television Society Award for Best Single Drama.
The sitcom Steptoe and Son, which ran from 1962 to 1974, remains one of the BBC's most beloved comedies, drawing up to 28 million viewers at its peak. It depicted the turbulent relationship between rag-and-bone man Albert Steptoe (Brambell) and his ambitious son Harold (Corbett).
Controversy and Complaints
Even before its broadcast, the drama faced criticism. Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the creators of Steptoe and Son, publicly distanced themselves from the production. In a letter to The Times, they stated they were unaware of any significant conflict between Corbett and Brambell during the 12 years they worked together. Simpson later called the drama "not at all accurate," and Galton insisted the depiction of friction was unfounded, emphasizing that the actors "worked beautifully together."
Corbett's family also objected, particularly to the portrayal of his second wife, Maureen. Her brother argued that the film contained numerous inaccuracies, damaging her reputation. The BBC's editorial complaints unit upheld part of the complaint in 2008, acknowledging that the drama wrongly linked two events from Corbett's life that occurred eight years apart. The BBC pledged not to repeat the program without appropriate editing.
Re-editing and Further Appeals
A revised version aired on December 28 and 29, 2008, running 23 seconds shorter than the original and including a disclaimer: "The following drama is inspired by the lives of real people. For the purpose of the narrative some events have been invented or conflated."
However, an investigation by the BBC Trust found the drama remained unfair and inaccurate. Further edits reduced the runtime by 69 seconds for a broadcast on BBC HD on December 2, 2009. This version was later released on DVD on June 14, 2010.
Corbett's brother-in-law appealed again, and the BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee upheld the complaint. The ruling stated that even the revised portrayal was "unfair and inaccurate" and that the BBC needed to remove the impression of a casual relationship between Maureen and Harry. Consequently, the Trust ordered the recall of all DVDs of the drama.
The committee issued an apology on behalf of the BBC for the original editorial breaches and acknowledged that subsequent remedial actions had failed to eliminate the unfairness.
Lasting Legacy: New BBC Guidelines
The controversy led to the creation of new BBC guidelines titled "Portrayal of Real People in Drama," published on October 12, 2010. These guidelines require that any drama going against the wishes of the portrayed individual or their surviving relatives must obtain approval from the BBC's Director of Editorial Policy and Standards. Approval is granted only if three criteria are met: the portrayal is fair, based on substantial and well-sourced evidence, and serves a clear public interest.
