Elisabeth Murdoch, co-founder of production company Sister, has warned that the UK television industry is facing a “perfect storm” that risks driving British stories off the small screen. She said a crisis is leading to an exodus of production talent, with cash-strapped broadcasters prioritising dramas with international appeal over locally relevant content.
Murdoch noted that British producers are creating excellent content for global platforms, but these are not the stories sought by the BBC or Channel 4. “Those stories, from all corners of the British Isles, are struggling to be made in today’s economic reality,” she said, adding that even greenlit projects face unattainable budget gaps.
The industry has shifted from a local market to a global one in less than a decade, bringing investment but also threats to creativity and British culture. A lengthy work drought has seen experienced producers leave the sector or take entry-level jobs. Patrick Spence, executive producer of ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office, said such a show would not be made today.
Murdoch highlighted that 80% of content on public service broadcasters is British, compared to an estimated 10% on streamers. She attributed the crisis to cyclical factors, including over-commissioning after the pandemic, rising costs, falling advertising revenue, and a 30% real-terms decline in the BBC’s licence fee income since 2010.
Proposals to help the industry include tax breaks and a levy on streamers to fund local content. Murdoch urged careful consideration of all options, warning that low confidence reduces appetite for risk. “We have built the industry on taking creative risks,” she said, citing successes like Happy Valley and Fleabag.
A BBC spokesperson defended the corporation’s role, stating: “The BBC bangs the drum for British creativity and culturally relevant content in a way that the global streamers simply can’t.”
