The UK television industry is on the precipice of significant cultural erosion. Escalating production costs and a decrease in domestic programming are accelerating this threat. Jayne Featherstone, executive producer of Netflix’s “Black Doves,” poses a chilling question. With the loss of these stories, she warns the UK risks losing the stories that make the UK unique. The high-end British dramas may soon disappear from local screens, according to Peter Kosminsky, a prominent figure in the industry.
Kosminsky underlines the financial crises in which public service broadcasters such as the BBC or ITV find themselves. It can be hard to fund star-studded productions, like Netflix’s new smash hit “Murderous youth,” about a teen charged with murder. In 2024, funding for domestic UK programmes fell to £598 million, a 22% cut compared to last year. At the same time, the British Film Institute issued a reminder that high-end TV and film production in the UK still resulted in record-breaking £5.6 billion in spending at the height of this period.
Today, producer Peter Kosminsky reminds us of the terrible financial pressures public broadcasters are under. So commissioning major new works such as “Wolf Hall” or “Mr Bates vs the Post Office” seems like much more than a risky leap now. Unprecedented financial pressures are taking a toll on productions. “The Mirror & The Light” almost got canceled only six weeks before shooting due to financial issues. To manage costs, Kosminsky and the production team cut several elaborate exterior scenes from "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light."
"Had many scenes set outside, many scenes involving horses, we had a whole joust, an extraordinary scene as conceived by Hilary Mantel, the original novelist – and we had to cut everything," said Kosminsky.
To ensure “The Mirror and The Light” stayed on course Kosminsky took a dramatic pay cut. It brings stark attention to the economic sacrifices that industry veterans are willing to live on in order to import British storytelling.
Patrick Spence, the executive producer of “Mr Bates vs the Post Office”, echoes these worries. Production costs are increasing, he says while international funding is drying up. The initial plan for “Mr Bates vs the Post Office” included a hugely ambitious fire drill scene with over 300 extras. Budgetary constraints prevented the team from executing their grand vision.
"In episode two, I wrote a fire drill that involved 300 extras. Those 300 extras had to be employed for 10 days. That is an awful lot of money," explained Jack Thorne.
There are a number of reasons why production costs are skyrocketing. This is compounded by the lasting impacts of Covid-19, the 2023 US actors and writers’ strikes, and skyrocketing energy costs. These challenges have further exacerbated the financial pressures already facing UK productions.
To counter these problems, Peter Kosminsky argues for a heavy streaming services tax. He claims that this measure would put the UK on a level playing field with many European countries. These countries invest through similar taxes to protect their homegrown content. Indeed, a simple 5% UK levy on subscription streaming revenues alone could raise upwards of £500 million. This cash would help finance a UK cultural fund and increase domestic productions.
"We are in the 45th minute of the pilot episode, and we've got five minutes left to stop the bomb from going off," warned Jayne Featherstone.
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