BAFTA Boss Celebrates British TV Industry In “Rude Health” But Says “Choppy Waters” Could Arise Amid Drama Funding Crisis

deadline.com:

BAFTA boss Jane Millichip has celebrated a British TV industry in “rude health” but said “choppy waters” could arise “if we lose control of our value chain.” Speaking to Deadline as the likes of Baby Reindeer, Rivals and Mr Bates vs the Post Office were rewarded with multiple BAFTA TV noms, Millichip said the industry “has to look at” options to address the UK drama funding crisis such as improved tax credits, streamer levies or more support for the freelance community. “I’m the first one to celebrate studios opening up across Britain and big films coming here but the other vital factor is what sits under that and that is a strong domestic sector,” she said. “I think we all need to pay some attention to that in the coming years.

We have to really look at [all options] because if we lose control of our value chain then we could be in choppier and choppier waters.” Millichip stopped short of backing high-profile proposals for a streamer levy to help solve the scripted funding crisis but said “the BFI [British Film Institute] is looking into this so we wait with interest to see what they come up with.” In recent weeks, storied British creatives including Jack Thorne, Peter Kosminsky and Jane Featherstone have raised concerns over the future of local British drama such as ITV’s Mr Bates, which picked up six BAFTA noms.

The barriers are breaking down between shows commissioned by the broadcasters and the streamers, Millichip noted, as she pointed to two local Netflix projects that could perform well at next year’s BAFTAs – Toxic Town and Adolescence – both of which are dominating the global charts at present. “What is interesting is you are seeing barnstorming commercial shows across linear but also some really strong