24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
BBC rethink on Scottish productions welcomed after The Traitors row
The show is filmed in the Highlands but the majority of staff on the show worked outside of Scotland.
Analysis of every single production credit from the end of the first programme of every series by the Speaking Up For Scotland's Screen Talent (SUSST) campaign group found that only 13 of the 219 people listed in the credits for series three were based in Scotland, around 5.94%.
In series two, it was 14 out of 209, or 6.7% and for series one it was 12 out of 164, around 7.3%.
For the latest series, around 70.8% of the roles are filled by people working in London.
It led to rows that Scotland was not benefitting from a show of such success being filmed and produced north of the border.
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The BBC has now issued an update on their plans for commissioning work outside of London through BBC Nations Director Rhodri Talfan Davies.
He believes plenty of progress has already been made but the new changes announced will make it better for those outside of the British capital to grow.
Ofcom have a criteria for what counts as an 'out of London' production that includes where the show's production office is located, where the show's production budget is spent and where the majority of the talent working on it live day-to-day.
The show does not need to qualify on all three counts to be deemed to be originated from that area but the BBC has vowed to go beyond the standard.
Mr Talfan Davies says the BBC will now invest at least 70% of its production budget locally and/or draw significantly on local programme makers and crew to produce the show.
Angus Robertson (Image: Jane Barlow/PA) The results will be published each year but he did warn it could take time for real change to be delivered because commissioning cycles can be as long as three years.
The SNP's Mr Robertson says it is a 'welcome rethink' to how things are done and is confident it can help the Scottish screen sector grow to a £1 billion annual industry.
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.
'Changes to BBC commissioning follows report for Screen Scotland showing much of the BBC's 'Scottish' network quota has been commissioned from London and produced by London head quartered production companies via Scottish branch offices.
'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.'
