UK Broadcasters And Indies In Last-Ditch Attempt To Save Insurance Backstop; Pact CEO Warns Some Shows Will Shut Down If Government Sticks To April 30 Deadline

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: A last-ditch attempt to convince the UK’s Culture Department (DCMS) to extend the £500M ($680M) insurance backstop beyond April 30 has been taking place behind the scenes this week, led by major broadcaster and indie groups, with Pact CEO John McVay warning productions may have to shut down when the backstop ends.Deadline understands that several crisis meetings have been held in the past few days between industry stakeholders and government officials as the DCMS prepares to issue a press release imminently signalling the end of the backstop, which is formally called the Film & TV Production Restart Scheme.Major broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV, along with key indie heads including Pact’s McVay, argue that commercial insurers are not ready to return to the market and insure shows for Covid cover and, therefore, losing the backstop will have a major impact on production.As Deadline revealed last month, the UK government has been “monitoring” what action will be needed to help commercial insurers return to market when the Scheme ends but attendees at the latest meeting yesterday said it is now accepted that these insurers won’t come back until at least September.One source who was present described the situation as a “clusterfuck.”“The UK government has its head in the sand,” they added. “They are saying we’re in a ‘Living with Covid’ phase but can’t accept there is complete failure in the production insurance market.”Another source said broadcasters and indies are “desperately” trying to get the Scheme’s end delayed, although it has already been pushed back three times over the last 18 months.Broadcasters and indies are therefore calling for a transition period for the Scheme between now and September but