BBC not making drama is a crisis, says Equity

THE BBC has come under fire for its decision to axe Radio 4’s 15-minute drama series, as creative trade union Equity say “further erosion of spoken-word programming” must be stopped.

Equity sent a letter to BBC director general Tim Davie this week and they tell us they are “not willing to give up” on the long-standing storytelling series, as “for many years we have fought hard for radio drama”.

They said while they appreciated budgets were tight, “it is up to the BBC to ensure there is enough funding for the radio drama genre not only to survive but to thrive.” Rebecca Front, the Thick of It actor who has starred in a 15-minute drama entitled Incredible Women, is also urging the BBC to reconsider. “As a performer and writer, but also just as someone who loves radio, it saddens me to see the available airtime for fictional drama and comedy being chipped away at,” Front, pictured, tells us.

The BBC said: “We’re paying more for all our drama commissions after years of frozen costs and investing all the 15-minute slot budget in other drama.” This morning they announced a new Friday 30-minute drama slot on Radio 4.