Scottish Government welcomes BBC update after Traitors row
Earlier this year, Peter Strachan, who sits on the board of trade body Directors UK, accused the BBC of 'depriving' Scots of opportunities as his analysis of the show's off-screen employees claimed the BBC was failing to comply with Ofcom's regulations.
He alleged that 81% of The Traitors season three production team was based in England and that only 7% of off-screen talent was used in series one and 6% in series two.
READ MORE: Counter-protesters gather against far-right group in Glasgow city centre
Strachan said that just 4% of the 'above the line roles' at Studio Lambert-produced The Traitor's were filled by staff based in Scotland – and by removing a Glasgow-based executive producer it would be 0%.
Regulator Ofcom sets out-of-London criteria for production companies which are supposed to encourage firms to make more programmes, spend more money and employ greater numbers of staff outside of the English capital.
The regulations require producers to meet two of three criteria to qualify as out-of-London. These are having a 'substantive base' in the region, investing 70% of production spend and having at least 50% of the off-screen talent outside London.
On Friday, the BBC published an update where it said it intended to go "well beyond the existing 'qualifying criteria'" and have "at least 70%" of its production budget based locally and/or draw "significantly" on local programme-makers and crew to produce shows.
The corporation's director of nations, Rhodri Talfan Davies, said: "In future, we will not typically commission a new network production regionally unless we are confident it will invest at least 70% of its production budget locally and/or draw significantly on local programme-makers and crew to produce the show.
"We will work closely with our partners in the independent sector to make sure we step through this approach carefully, recognising that some shows have very specific editorial, talent or production requirements.
"We will publish our progress in delivering this commitment each year."
READ MORE: Donald Trump's calls for North Sea drilling no 'surprise', John Swinney says
Talfan Davies added that while results will be published annually, "delivering this change will take a little time", as he said TV commissioning cycles can take as long as three years.
Angus Robertson (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire) Culture Secretary Angus Robertson, who previously met with the BBC over concerns around the number of Scottish crew working on the show, welcomed the update.
He said: "Welcome rethink about BBC commissioning after concerns and criticism in Scotland. Change in approach will hopefully influence other public service broadcasters, as well as Ofcom, and help Scottish screen sector grow to £1bn annual industry.
"I look forward to meeting with the BBC to understand how quickly the improvements to commissioning in Scotland will happen. The [Scottish Government is committed to support the Scottish screen sector reach its full potential, with £1bn GVA target by end of 2030/31."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'It's a vicious, toxic place': the BBC's panicking male stars tell KATIE HIND of their 'fear and paranoia' after bullying and sex scandals, as one cries: 'If it carries on like this, there'll be no one left on the telly!'
For decades, the biggest fear for any male BBC presenter was making an embarrassing on-screen gaffe. These days, that's the least of their worries.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Alex Scott flaunts her incredible figure in a tiny leopard print bikini as she packs on the PDA with girlfriend Jess Glynne amid romantic Greek getaway
Alex Scott flaunted her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy leopard print bikini amid her romantic Greek getaway with girlfriend Jess Glynne on Saturday. The BBC sports presenter, 40, took to Instagram with snaps as she showcased her incredibly toned abs in the tiny two peace while soaking up the sun in Rhodes. Alex and Jess, 35, appeared more loved up than ever as they packed on the PDA during a lavish boat trip around the island. The lovebirds smooched while relaxing on fluffy towels with the broadcaster later showing off her dance moves. They sipped on wine and took in the sights on dry land including a trip for dinner at a eatery called 'Alex's Restaurant'. Alex captioned the post: 'Lil Postcard from Rhodes'. Alex and Jess began dating around October 2023. They kept their relationship private for months however, with Alex later admitting that they chose to do so because they knew it was 'special'. Writing in The Times, the BBC pundit opened up on her relationship, saying her and Jess are becoming the 'same person'. Detailing her daily routine, she wrote: 'I wake up next to my partner, Jess, who has become the same person as me over the past year and a half. 'She can see what going to the gym does for me mentally, so she'll do the same'. It was rumoured last month that the couple are considering moving across the pond to the United States. As reported by The Sun, Alex is said to be 'considering other offers' after experiencing a 'lack of support' with Football Focus on the BBC. The controversy came surrounding plummeting viewing figures, which left Alex reportedly feeling like she had been 'thrown under a bus' by the broadcaster. A source said: 'Last year [Alex] was hugely hurt by unfair criticism about falling viewing figures - and felt she was thrown under a bus. 'The viewing figures were not as reported. She feels no-one backed her up and issued the correct viewing figures.' The presenter's contract with the BBC is reported to be up for renewal this summer. Meanwhile Jess parted ways with her record label EMI last month after her April 2024 album, Jess, crashed out of the charts after just one week. A source told The Sun: 'Jess knows plenty about having massive hit singles, so there was a lot of excitement when she signed her deal with EMI Records. But it's not exactly been the fruitful relationship that either had hoped. 'The album didn't do as well as anyone wanted, and none of the singles even graced the Top 40 She's had a tough time reintroducing herself to the public after a few years away. Before adding: 'Both she and the label decided it was for the best to stop working together. But Jess isn't letting it dampen her spirits. She is already working on new music and is planning her next moves.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Frank Skinner claims there are 'lots of creepy men' working in TV 'making women's lives a misery' as he recalls getting vile cameraman sacked for filming up a female colleague's skirt
has claimed there are 'lots of creepy men' working in the TV industry who often make 'women's lives a misery'. The comedian, 68, recalled one particular incident in which he used his position on his chat show, which aired on both BBC and ITV from 1995 to 2005, to get a vile cameraman sacked after he filmed up a female colleague's skirt. He told The Sun: 'I think if you've got the power to do something about that, you need to use it', as he branded the incident 'horrible' and a form of 'bullying'. '[The cameraman] He thought it was funny to put the camera up a make-up woman's skirt and it got big laughs in the studio. I wasn't in the studio, but I found her crying in a room and she told me about it. 'I asked around. And because I was a big-time comedian, I was able to say: "Well, look, either he goes or I go". I don't want to get anyone sacked, but I did get him sacked. I tell that story not to make myself sound like some big hero and good guy, but just that I had the power and I did something'. Frank said that he believed that is how incident os misconduct should be bullied and found it 'baffling' how they often appear to go ignored. Meanwhile Christopher Biggins has shockingly admitted he would still like to be able to 'grab women by the t***ies' in a bizarre defence of Gregg Wallace. The iconic actor, 76, who is openly gay, said his own past behaviour would 'land him in prison' today and claimed 25 years ago 'everyone' was acting inappropriately. Gregg, 60, stepped down from his duties as Masterchef host after more than 40 complaints about his behaviour were upheld following a BBC investigation. Christopher, who appeared on the show's celebrity version in 2014, said he'd reached out to the scandal-plagued broadcaster following the axe, as well as sharing insight into his own less than savoury antics. He told The Sun: 'Years ago I would approach a woman from behind and grab her t***ies from the front. Well, I'm gay so it didn't matter. And I'd like to still be doing it, but I don't think I can any more. 'If I were to do that now I'd be put into prison. Twenty-five years ago we were all doing it. It was a thing of affection.' He went on: 'I love Gregg and I love his wife. I've tried to get hold of her because they must be going through a terrible time because suddenly careers are vanishing, it's so wrong.' Daily Mail have contacted Christopher Biggins' reps for further comment. No stranger to his own controversy, Christopher was famously axed from the Celebrity Big Brother back in 2016 after making a shocking comment to X Factor star Katie Waissel, which was never broadcast. Christopher told Katie, who is Jewish: 'You better be careful or they'll be putting you in a shower and taking you to a room.' Bosses immediately removed him from the house, and his £100,000 fee was reportedly slashed. Christopher has since apologised for his comments, noting that some of his close friends, such as Birds of a Feather's Lesley Joseph, were Jewish. The BBC review into Gregg's behaviour concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against him related to inappropriate sexual language and humour'. It added that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated', with 'one incident of unwelcome physical contact' also substantiated. Australian-born chef co-host John Torode, 59, also lost his job after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word, which he claims to have 'absolutely no recollection' of. Gregg and John have returned to screens for one final time together as the BBC made the decision to air the controversial 21st series of MasterChef. It was filmed last year and remained shelved by the broadcaster until the findings of the independent investigation were gathered. The iconic actor, who is openly gay, said his own past behaviour would 'land him in prison' today and claimed 25 years ago 'everyone' was acting inappropriately (pictured on Celebrity Masterchef in 2014) Fans have been left divided over the move to air the programme, with some branding the decision as 'bizarre' and accused the BBC of being 'tone deaf'. There was a last-minute scramble behind-the-scenes to re-edit it and limit the appearances of John and Gregg. One contestant, Sarah Shafi, will not appear on the programme after she complained about the behaviour of Gregg. She claimed she was 'eyed up and ogled' by Gregg on the show, while accusing the TV host of making an 'off' comment about his reputation with women.
