Latest news with #PeterKosminsky
Arab News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying' BBC over Gaza coverage
LONDON: Acclaimed TV director Peter Kosminsky has accused UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy of attempting to 'bully' the BBC over its coverage of the Gaza conflict. In a strongly worded letter, Kosminsky — known for the BBC historical drama 'Wolf Hall' — likened the government's actions to those of a 'tinpot dictatorship' and warned against sustained pressure on BBC Director General Tim Davie. 'Could I respectfully suggest that you stop trying to bully the BBC, the nation's primary public service broadcaster, over its coverage of the war in Gaza,' wrote Kosminsky in the letter, reported by The Guardian. He argued that politicians should not 'police the individual editorial decisions of the BBC,' stressing the broadcaster must, above all, maintain public trust. His letter echoed warnings from veteran BBC figure Richard Ayre, who described Nandy's direct intervention as 'outrageous.' Nandy has been a vocal critic of the BBC, pressuring the broadcaster to withdraw its Gaza documentary 'How To Survive a Warzone' after it emerged the young narrator was the son of a Hamas official. She also criticized the broadcasting of a Glastonbury Festival segment featuring the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan chanting anti-IDF slogans. 'For its part, the BBC must ensure that its output is balanced. But this means balanced across the totality of its output,' said Kosminsky, cautioning that past conflicts between government and BBC had ended tragically and citing the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly in 2003. Meanwhile, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has acknowledged recent 'serious failures' at the BBC but framed Nandy's criticism as justified accountability on behalf of license-fee payers. A spokesperson reiterated that editorial independence remained paramount. The controversy comes amid crucial discussions over the BBC's future funding and charter renewal, adding further pressure on its leadership — particularly Davie, who faces mounting scrutiny and internal dissatisfaction over perceived lapses in impartiality and editorial oversight.
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lisa Nandy trying to bully BBC over its Gaza coverage, says Wolf Hall director
One of television's most prominent directors has accused the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, of attempting to 'bully the BBC' over its coverage of Gaza, following her repeated attacks on its director general, Tim Davie. Peter Kosminsky, the writer and director of the BBC drama Wolf Hall, claimed the government was acting like a 'tinpot dictatorship' in heaping political pressure on Davie. In his letter, seen by the Guardian, Kosminksy cited the 'ignominious history' of political interference in the BBC. He evoked the death of Dr David Kelly, the government weapons expert, who died in 2003 shortly after being revealed as the source for a BBC story stating the government 'probably knew' a claim about Iraq's weapons capabilities was not true. 'Could I respectfully suggest that you stop trying to bully the BBC, the nation's primary public service broadcaster, over its coverage of the war in Gaza,' wrote Kosminsky, who made a docu drama about Kelly's death in 2005. 'The last time Labour was in power, it picked a public fight with the BBC over an editorial matter. It didn't end well for either party and a man – David Kelly – tragically died. 'I have been a Labour supporter for most of my life. It gives me no pleasure to watch this government behaving like a tinpot dictatorship, trying to pressurise a broadcaster for which it holds the purse strings. You are the current custodians of the 100-year tradition of public service broadcasting in this country. This is not the way to discharge that obligation.' Nandy has repeatedly criticised the BBC over a Gaza documentary that failed to disclose that its child narrator was the son of a Hamas official. She also criticised its livestreaming of the punk rap group Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury festival. Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, was shown leading chants of 'death, death to the IDF', referring to the Israel Defense Forces. Nandy personally targeted Davie in the House of Commons, warning of 'a problem of leadership'. She then gave an interview questioning why no one had been fired over the failings. Kosminksy warned Nandy about the historical precedent of political interference, pointing to the Thatcher government's attempt to pull a 1985 documentary about Northern Ireland. 'It is not the government's job or responsibility to police the individual editorial decisions of the BBC, or to call for the sacking of its editorial staff,' he wrote. 'For its part, the BBC must ensure that its output is balanced. But this means balanced across the totality of its output. 'As a programme maker with 45 years' experience of making controversial programmes – for all our public service broadcasters – I know it is impossible to completely balance all arguments within every individual programme. Sometimes it is a programme's responsibility to ask awkward questions, to raise hackles.' The strength of Nandy's attacks has been noted by others. Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC News, said last week it was 'outrageous that the secretary of state lifts the phone and demands answers from the director general'. 'Maybe she'll start lifting the phone, asking for answers from the editor of individual programmes,' he told the Beeb Watch podcast. 'Governance is important. Parliament has put in place governance procedures to govern the BBC independently and fairly – and it shouldn't be governed by politicians.' Supporters of the BBC are concerned the corporation is running out of allies as it enters crucial talks over the renewal of its charter with the government. After a series of recent crises, Davie said last week he remained the right person to lead the broadcaster. A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said: 'There have been a number of serious failures at the BBC in recent months. The secretary of state has raised these on behalf of licence fee payers who rightly expect action to be taken so that these cannot happen again. 'The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of government, and we will always defend this principle. However, there is an important distinction between being independent and being accountable.'
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
UK ministers ‘too scared of Donald Trump' to back levy on TV streaming giants
British ministers are 'running scared' of Donald Trump in their refusal to force US streaming services to fund more UK-focused shows, the director of the BBC's Wolf Hall has warned. Peter Kosminsky said a 'supine and terrified' government was worried about anything that might upset the 'bully in the White House'. He said programmes that spoke truth to power were needed amid global tensions and political division. However, he said important UK dramas were 'under threat as never before', with the BBC and ITV struggling to fund shows and cautious about productions that did not appeal to audiences outside Britain. Kosminsky is calling for a 5% levy on streaming companies – to be spent on UK-focused television – and said a similar surcharge had been adopted by 17 other countries. But he accused UK ministers of being afraid to follow suit because of the US president's threat to impose huge tariffs on films made outside the US. 'We're running scared of Donald Trump and his tariffs,' he said in a speech last week, reproduced in Radio Times. 'The government is so supine and terrified that it's not prepared to run the risk of upsetting Trump and the delicate trading relationship that they've fought so hard – and grovelled so intensely – to achieve.' Kosminsky said ministers could still be pressured into changing course because they were 'terrified of swings in public support'. He added: 'If you care about public service broadcasting, if you care about the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, I would beg you – get out there and campaign for the government to stand up to the bully in the White House and protect the 100-year tradition of public service broadcasting in this country, of which we are rightly proud, before it is lost for ever.' His speech follows warnings from other television figures, including Elisabeth Murdoch, that UK stories could be lost from the small screen as producers and broadcasters turn to shows they can sell internationally, most notably in the US. Kosminsky said the overall effect had been to ensure shows such as Three Girls, a drama about the Rochdale child sexual abuse scandal, or Mr Bates vs the Post Office, which brought a huge miscarriage of justice to wider public attention, would not be made in today's market. He said Wolf Hall was turned down by streamers and that senior figures behind the historical drama had voluntarily given up payments. His demand for a 5% levy on companies such as Netflix and Amazon Prime has split the television industry. Other senior figures are pushing for a significant increase in the tax relief, which they say would ensure more shows are economically viable. A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: 'As the creative industries minister, Sir Chris Bryant, told the culture, media and sport select committee in January, the government has no plans to introduce a levy on streaming services.'
NZ Herald
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
All in the execution: How Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light finally made it to screen
King and queen of hearts: Jane Seymour weds Henry VIII. Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer (Will Keen) does the honours. Photo / Supplied A decade after winning acclaim for the authenticity it brought to Tudor dramas, Wolf Hall returns with a series based on the last of Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell novels. Director Peter Kosminsky reflects on the landmark period drama. Before he proved otherwise, Peter Kosminsky was possibly the wrong man
ITV News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
Is the streaming revolution putting UK TV dramas at risk?
A survey of top TV insiders, seen by ITV News Arts Editor Nina, paints a picture of an industry where more and more of its talent is thinking of leaving It has for years been a real UK success story. In 2022 it was reckoned the UK TV industry generated around £20 billion for the economy. But as leading lights from TV prepare to gather for the Bafta awards on Sunday there are many hoping that the issues clouding the horizon will not be forgotten. The most nominated programme this weekend is Baby Reindeer which was made by Netflix. There are also multiple nominations for the Disney+ series Rivals. The streaming services have brought a viewing revolution to our screens: big US companies with deep pockets offering a wealth of choice to viewers. But some leading industry figures here say the streamers' focus on making content that has a global reach is putting homegrown UK-focused stories in high-end drama at risk. Making series like the huge hit Mr Bates v The Post Office is reported to have left ITV with a loss of £1 million last year, even though it was the most watched programme of 2024. The need for domestic broadcasters to make drama that can be sold abroad to recoup costs has raised fears that British stories may be getting squeezed out in the future. Peter Kosminsky the award-winning director of Wolf Hall and its sequel The Mirror and the Light said he would never be able to afford to make a drama like this in the current climate. Competition from streamers, freezes in the BBC licence fee, a drop in advertising revenue not to mention inflation and the ongoing impact of the recent industry strikes in the US, have made the environment in the industry more difficult to navigate. His proposal backed by a parliamentary committee of a 5% levy on revenue from streaming services' UK subscriptions could, he says, be used to help the industry here. But he himself said the fact that it sounds an awful lot like a tariff in an era of Donald Trump, means the government would be very reluctant to take this up. It has reportedly got no favour with the Culture secretary, amid concern it would affect investment in the UK creative industries. There are widespread calls for enhanced tax incentives, particularly from those mainly freelance people, working in the Unscripted sector, things like documentaries, travel shows and reality TV. Recent figures from the union Bectu seen by ITV News, show a slight improvement in some areas from a few months ago but still some alarming figures, including 43% of those surveyed saying they're currently out of work and a third seeing themselves leaving the industry in the next five years. One freelance series producer I spoke to, Clare Fisher has started a support group on Facebook, TV Switch Up, for those like her who can't find work in the industry. She has a huge wealth of experience but has had no work for more than a year. She is now engaged in helping her peers use their skills garnered from work behind the camera to use in other industries. She is clearly heartbroken that she can no longer pursue her vocation in TV. On Sunday there will be a special Bafta award for ITV, given to the channel for its commissioning of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, a drama which famously changed government policy and brought the demise of the post office workers firmly into the spotlight. ITV is being lauded for what one Bafta committee member has described as a 'brave commission.' One of the shows stars, Lia Williams who plays the beleaguered head of the post office Paul Vennells, says right now dramas like these should be seen not as brave but as necessary commissions.
