Fry accuses bland BBC over 'culture of fear'

The BBC has been hit by a culture of "fear" which results in "incredibly bland" programmes, says Stephen Fry.

The host of BBC1 comedy show QI told the Radio Times that BBC executives with “cold feet” were shying away from taking risks and warned it spelt death for a creative institution.

The BBC has been hit by rows over taste and decency following the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand scandal, and criticisms of the salaries of its top stars and executives.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fry, 53, said of BBC culture: “There is this thing, I call it interfering...”

“I do know of so many cases where executives would say ‘What we want is something new, something different, something extraordinary!’

“And they’re brought something new, different and extraordinary and immediately the executive gets cold feet, falls back on something else and we end up with something incredibly bland.

“A lot of the adventure and excitement have gone out of television programming – and a lot of it is just down to fear,” said the actor, writer and TV personality.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It basically comes down to one thing: it’s so much easier now in the BBC, because all the incentives and all the motives are towards saying no to something. You can’t really go wrong by saying no to an idea – and for a creative institution, that’s death.”

Fry said he was treated very well by the BBC but the days when programme-makers were allowed to come up with ideas without interference appeared to be gone.

“If you think of tweedy people like (former BBC executive) Huw Weldon walking down the corridor, saying: ‘Why don’t we make a series about that? That seems like a good idea. Come back to me when you’ve done it.’” he said of the past.

In 2004, the BBC was rocked by the resignation of its director general Greg Dyke after a row with the Government over the Dr David Kelly affair.

Related topics: