Richard Osman has branded the television industry “snobbish” in the wake of the Bafta TV nominations.
Richard Osman has branded the television industry ‘snobbish’ in the wake of the Bafta TV nominations
The ‘Pointless’ host, 52, hit out after the academy’s daytime show nods were released ahead of the awards on May 14 – which included a show broadcast at 8pm.
Of the three daytime TV shows in the running for an award, ‘Scam Interceptors’ is on at 10am and ‘The Chase’ is normally broadcast at 5pm.
The third programme in the category, ‘The Repair Shop: A Royal Visit’, was a special edition which featured King Charles broadcast at 8pm, even though it usually airs at 2.30pm or 8pm.
Richard said on Twitter: “Daytime TV punches far above its weight in terms of ratings, cost and popularity. To have only two daytime shows on this list is a bit of a kick in the teeth for producers.
“If I made ‘Bridge of Lies’, ‘HUTH’ (‘Homes Under the Hammer’), ‘Come Dine’ (‘With Me’), etc I think I’d feel robbed. Why bother having the category?
“It can be such a snobbish industry sometimes. Also, I love all three of those nominated shows (but the brilliant Repair Shop was on at 8pm.)”
Supporters of Richard’s angry tweet included BBC producer Richard Atkins-Greig.
He commented: “Well said Richard; there is an incredible snobbery about daytime TV. Thank you… .”
A Bafta spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “We introduced the Daytime category with the intention of giving more profile to programmes that historically have been under-recognised for their important contribution to the TV land scape and we will take on board all feedback.”
Writer Chris Lang echoed Richard’s comments and tweeted he is convinced Bafta “snobbery” and “cultural bias” has seen ITV overlooked in its television nominations.
The 61-year-old creator of crime drama ‘Unforgotten’, which stars Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinead Keenan, added he thought Academy members considered the channel’s shows too “common” to honour, despite its prolific and critically acclaimed output.
He tweeted after this year’s Bafta TV 2023 nominations were announced: “C4, ITV and BBC all make an equal proportion of scripted shows that are superb, good or ‘meh’.
“And yet every year, Bafta members ignore one channel. This year from 54 scripted nominees, 22 were BBC shows, 10 for C4 and just four for ITV.
“What cultural bias is at work here? And it’s not to do with volume.
“ITV makes about a third less content than BBC, but way more than C4.
“In 2023, the members of the pre-eminent TV and film organisation in this country still secretly think ITV is ‘common’.”
Chris’ ‘The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe’ drama about the John Darwin disappearance scandal was among the ITV shows nominated, in the best mini series category – alongside the BBC’s ‘This is Going to Hurt’, BBC Three’s ‘Mood’ and ‘A Spy Among Friends’, which was available to stream on ITVX from December 2022.
But he insisted: “Bafta members don’t really watch ITV. They think it’s ‘common’, so loads of ITV shows don’t get past the first members’ ballot as far as the juries, where jurors are obliged to watch.
“Class... the last prejudice to be tackled head on. There can be no other explanation for it. The numbers do not lie.”
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