Actor Stephen Fry and comic Lenny Henry are among more than 100 prominent people defending the BBC’s regional current affairs and politics programmes from the axe in a letter to the corporation.
Press Gazette reported last month that Inside Out and Politics England could face the chop as the BBC is forced to find further savings to plug a £125m hole in its finances caused by Covid-19.
Both programmes fall under BBC England and its regional news output, separate from BBC News, and are under review as the corporation looks to tackle its “significant financial challenges”.
Filming for the latest series of Inside Out has been put on hold due to Covid-19 and BBC insiders fear the programme, which has 11 regional variants, will now not return at all – leading to some 30 job losses.
In a letter addressed to outgoing director general Tony Hall and his replacement Tim Davie, the 125-signatories expressed their concern over the future of the programmes.
“Never has in-depth investigative journalism, holding people to account and reflecting the regional diversity of England been more important,” the letter said.
“If these cuts were to become permanent they risk damaging English democracy by the failure to provide an important platform for those voices in our communities who need and want to be heard.
“Even when faced with financial pressures we urge you not to reduce regional programmes and to defend a vital element of public service broadcasting not available anywhere else.”
Among those to have signed the letter are journalists Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and John Inverdale, as well as actor Christopher Eccleston and author Anthony Horowitz.
In recent years Inside Out has investigated deaths on Smart Motorways, the impact on families of so-called “county lines” drug dealing, and working practices at Sports Direct.
Wildlife presenter Chris Packham, who previously worked for Inside Out South, said: “Top quality impartial investigative journalism should remain a central part of the BBC’s mission and Inside Out has delivered this consistently for many years.
“And equally importantly it has played a keystone role in the BBC’s essential commitment to regional programming. To lose this would be very disappointing.”
Journalist Samira Ahmed, who works for the BBC and won an equal pay case against the corporation earlier this year, said: “I was proud to be part of an Inside Out investigation for BBC Leeds that dared to tackle difficult issues around race and exploitation in the Rotherham Grooming Scandal.
“Now more than ever we need honest, fearless journalism that is rooted in the long-term expertise and professionalism of BBC journalists who know their local communities.
“The BBC’s reputation is built on journalists like these.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “Local and regional broadcasting is in the BBC’s DNA and we’re especially proud of how our services have performed during recent months.
“The pandemic has forced us to prioritise our resources so we’ve cancelled the autumn series of Inside Out and are continuing with the single political programme for England through to the summer.
“The BBC does face very real financial challenges so naturally we are looking at what savings might be possible across the BBC.”
The full list of signatories:
- Michelle Ackerley Presenter
- Samira Ahmed Journalist/Broadcaster/Author
- Ayo Akinwolere Presenter / Broadcaster
- Marc Almond Musician
- Imran Azam Dentist
- Nick Baker Naturalist & TV Presenter
- Mike Barton Former Chief Constable, Durham Police
- Nikki Bedi Presenter
- Rob Bell Presenter
- Bev Bevan Musician
- Jasmine Birtles Journalist/Author/TV Presenter
- James Blake CEO Youth Hostels Association
- Fern Britton Presenter
- Chris Broad Former England Cricketer
- Prof John Burn Professor of Clinical Genetics
- Alastair Campbell Journalist/Author/Broadcaster/Former Political Aide
- Lee Child (James Dover Grant CBE) Author
- Sarah Ali Choudhury Chef/ entrepreneur
- Terry Christian TV Presenter/Author
- Jo Cooke Hoarding Disorders Expert/Author
- Daisy May Cooper This Country/Writer/Actress
- Paul Cooper Actor
- Joe Crowley Presenter
- Kevin Cummins Photographer
- Edwina Currie Broadcaster /Former Politician
- Kit de Waal Author
- Terry Deary Author
- Les Dennis Actor/Comedian/TV Presenter
- Mike Dilger Ecologist/Ornithologist/Broadcaster
- Shaun Dooley Actor
- Dr Oscar Duke Doctor/Broadcaster
- Christopher Eccleston Actor
- Kerrie Farrell TV Presenter/Actress
- Sean Fletcher TV Presenter/Broadcaster
- Shelagh Fogarty Broadcaster
- George Friend Footballer, Capt Middlesbrough DC
- Stephen Fry Actor/Writer/Presenter
- Prof Ben Garrod Biologist/Broadcaster
- Dr Clare Gerada Dr/Medical Director Practitioner Health
- JoAnne Good Presenter/Actress
- Phillipa Gregory Author
- Sir John Hall Businessman /property developer
- Joanne Harris Author
- Tim Healy Actor
- Wayne Hemingway Designer
- Sir Lenny Henry Comedian/Actor/TV Presenter
- Melanie Hill Actor
- Peter Hitchens Journalist/Author
- Anthony Horowitz Author/Screenwriter
- Louise Hulland TV/Radio Presenter/Author
- Conrad Humphreys Round the world yachtsman/TV Presenter
- Gloria Hunniford TV Presenter/Broadcaster
- John Inverdale TV Presenter/Broadcaster
- Tommy Jessop Actor/Social Activist/Peacemaker
- Jane Jessop Founder, Blue Apple Theatre
- Sally Joynson Chief Exec. Screen Yorkshire
- Soweto Kinch Jazz musician
- Dr Turi King Lead Geneticist King Richard III discovery
- Steven Knight Screenwriter, Peaky Blinders
- Mark Knopfler Musician
- Ray Laidlaw Musician
- Paris Lees Writer
- James Lewis Antiques expert/TV presenter
- Ken Loach Film Director
- Stuart Maconie Broadcaster/Author
- Miriam Margolyes Actor
- Brian May Musician / Music Producer
- Paul Mayhew-Archer Script writer/Producer
- Vicky McClure Actor
- Paul McGann Actor
- Debbie McGee TV Personality and Radio host
- Steph McGovern Journalist/TV Presenter
- Jimmy McGovern Writer
- Liz McIvor Historian/Author/TV Presenter
- Ian McMillan Poet/Author/Playwright/Broadcaster
- Lula Mebrahtu Musician/Presenter
- Kay Mellor Actor/Scriptwriter/Director
- Dreda Say Mitchell Author
- Blake Morrison Poet/Author
- David Morrissey Actor / Filmmaker
- Kate Mosse Author
- Chris Mullin Author & former MP
- Rebecca Munro Director of Fundraising & Comms RSPB
- Steve Nallon Actor/Writer/Voice Artist
- Johnny Nelson Broadcaster/former world champion boxer
- Kirsten O’Brien TV & Radio presenter
- Mary-Ann Ochota Anthropologist/Broadcaster
- Prof. Mark O’Shea Herpetologist/Broadcaster
- Chris Packham Naturalist/Author/TV Presenter
- Ben Parkinson Military Veteran
- John Phibbs Historian/Landscape Consultant
- Fiona Phillips TV Presenter / Author
- Johny Pitts Presenter / writer
- Tom Price Actor/Broadcaster
- Mark Radcliffe Author/Broadcaster
- Satnam Rana Arts and Culture Correspondent
- Dame Esther Rantzen Broadcaster/Journalist
- Adil Ray Actor
- Angela Rippon Broadcaster/Journalist
- Dr Ben Robinson Archaeologist / TV Presenter
- Paul Rose Broadcaster/Environmentalist/Explorer
- Jasvinder Sanghera Campaigner for Gender Equality
- Miranda Sawyer Journalist/Broadcaster
- Alexei Sayle Comedian/Actor/Author
- Martin Shaw Actor
- Wendy Shepherd Gender Based Violence Training and Consultant
- Dr Ranj Singh Doctor/TV Presenter/Author
- Lemn Sissay Poet / Author / Chancellor of Manc. University
- Helen Skelton TV presenter
- Sir Tim Smit Founder Eden Project / Broadcaster
- Sue Smith Broadcaster/former international footballer
- Dr Chris Smith Doctor/Broadcaster
- Alison Steadman Actor
- Richard Taylor-Jones Filmmaker/Photographer/TV Presenter
- Stephen Tompkinson Actor (Confirmed title)
- Rick Wakeman Musician/Music Producer/Broadcaster/Author
- Donald Wales Record Breaking Driver
- Nick Wallis Presenter
- Dominic West Actor
- Kevin Whately Actor
- Anna Williamson TV Presenter
- Shaun Williamson Actor
- John Wood Social Media Expert
- Yasmin Zaman Guru
- Benjamin Zephaniah Poet / Musician
Picture: Reuters/Neil Hall
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