The Stage

Lumley accuses broadcasters of neglecting drama talent

Published Tuesday 30 October 2007 at 16:15 by Matthew Hemley

Award-winning actress Joanna Lumley has accused broadcasters of neglecting the UK’s acting talent by favouring cheap reality shows over quality home-grown drama.

Lumley joins a spate of industry figures who have spoken out about the state of British television drama, including writer Tony Marchant, who dismissed current offerings as “lame” and Emilia Fox, who complained not enough was being made.

Lumley told The Stage television had changed “beyond recognition” over the last five years, and claimed broadcasters were underestimating audiences’ desire to see good quality drama.

“There are so many competition shows like The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing and so many reality shows about cleaning your house up or wearing proper clothes and so the old pattern of television has changed,” she said.

“You may get one Bleak House or one Cranford a year and then there are the big long running series like Spooks and lots and lots of soaps like The Bill. But there is a lack of good solid drama. I’d like to see more actual bloody good acting. We have the finest actors in the world - masses of them - and I wish we saw more of some of those.”

Lumley added broadcasters had forgotten drama and claimed commercial channels were too scared to invest in new series because it is harder to build audiences in a digital age and therefore attract advertisers.

She said: “People who put the money into the shows or want to buy commercial breaks want a show with good viewers. But with more and more different channels, the whole thing has just changed shape. I just think a lot of broadcasters have lost their nerve about drama. They think they can put on these cheap shows where they don’t seem to pay anybody, those taking part will cry and everyone gets the blub factor and so it gets a good audience. But I think they underestimate audiences, who would absolutely adore to see drama.”