The Stage

Actress Morton calls for more TV drama

Published Friday 1 August 2008 at 16:35 by Matthew Hemley

Samantha Morton has criticised the lack of drama on television, claiming there are too many reality programmes filling broadcasters’ schedules.

The actress, who appeared as Myra Hindley in Longford and who has made a name for herself in films such as Minority Report, said the UK needed to make better use of its acting and writing talent, and claimed other broadcasters should look to Channel 4 as an example of what they should be producing in terms of drama.

She said too many channels relied on reality shows because they are cheaper to make.

“We are really lucky in this country that we have great drama, but we need more. We need more Channel 4 types of drama. It is commissioning some really great programmes. But there is far too much reality television for my liking. We need more actors working, more writers working and more directors working,” she said.

Morton is about to make her directorial debut for Channel 4, which is home to reality show Big Brother, with a drama called The Unloved about a young girl growing up in care.

The actress has worked with writer Tony Grisoni, who penned the screenplay for the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, to create a fictional script that provides a child’s view of the UK’s care system.

Speaking to The Stage, she said she had approached several directors about the project, but had been told she should lead it because of her own experience of growing up in care.

Although not autobiographical, she described the drama as having a story she was “aching to tell”.

Morton said she would like to appear in a play and revealed she had aspirations to direct a theatre production as well.