‘No pension, no career, no future’: Grim reality behind the scenes of British TV and film industry
In terms of glamour and escapism, it doesn’t get much bigger than the Baftas and, while this weekend, the great and the good from British cinema will be getting ready to party, further down the food chain for those working behind the scenes there’s little cause to celebrate.
New research conducted exclusively for Sky News by the broadcasting union BECTU paints a bleak picture of what life is really like for ordinary workers within the British TV and film industry.
Thousands got in touch to report a dire shortage of paid work, with many saying they’re stressed, some even suicidal, taking on mounting debts to keep afloat financially.
“I feel abandoned,” one respondent wrote. “I’ve dedicated my life to this career and overnight everything I’ve worked towards has fallen apart.”
Another explained: “The whole experience is making me realise the sheer fragility of the industry and the money we earn simply isn’t enough.”
“I have never known a more dire situation… there is zero work around,” wrote another.
While, certainly in film, there had been the assumption that after SAG-AFTRA strikes ended last autumn work would slowly start to resume at the start of this year, for many that simply hasn’t been the case.
SAG-AFTRA members on strike in the US in August – the walkout lasted 118 days. Pic: Reuters
Last September – before the industrial action was over – 74% of BECTU union members said they were out of work.
Now, of the 4,160 people who responded to the Sky News/BECTU poll, it would seem little has changed with 68% writing to say that’s still the case.
Those who are booking jobs wrote back to say their roles are changing, with many saying they’re now being overworked and asked to do more for less.
‘I had a breakdown on my last job’
We were told: “Positions… that are advertised seem to roll up about three or four jobs into one role – and the pay is linked to the most junior role.”
Another wrote to say: “Unauthorised overtime… is now the norm. I had a breakdown on my last job… the job before that, it was a common occurrence to see crew crying in the middle of the workshop.”
Thirty per cent reported having had no work at all in the past three months, while 34% have had less than a month’s worth of work since the US industrial action reached a settlement.
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Drill down into those figures for the past three months and freelancers who are black or Asian are less likely to have worked than their white colleagues (29% of white respondents had not worked at all, compared to 38% of respondents who are Asian and 32% of black respondents).
‘I’m at my wit’s end’
The precarious nature of working in UK production, for some, has become untenable.
This is summed up by one woman who said: “As an ethnic minority working mum… it’s all for nothing.
“I feel valueless and aggrieved that all those years of working crazy hours and lack of security is for nothing.”
Another wrote: “After this slowdown, there’ll be no more diversity, we’ll have gone back 20 years in terms of only the elite being able to afford to work in the industry.
“I’m at my wit’s end. I feel as though I may have to sell my house. My marriage is under strain as I can’t financially contribute.”
Of those surveyed 86% reported finding things either extremely difficult financially (42%) or more difficult than normal.
Understandably it is affecting people’s mental health, with more than a quarter saying they were really struggling – some of whom responded to say they’d had breakdowns, or even become suicidal as a result.
There’s also an increase in people taking on loans or unsecured debt to cover their bills (23% up from 15% in September).
Charlotte Sewell, an assistant costume designer working on the Mission Impossible franchise, told Sky News that while she knew it was unlikely the industry would immediately bounce back after the US strikes ended last year, her worst fears have been realised.
Charlotte Sewell’s worst fears have been realised
“I think we all thought that what was shooting would come up quickly but new stuff, we were concerned… and unfortunately, it’s come true.”
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Industry slowdown across the board
The US strikes seemingly masked a much wider industry slowdown which is now being experienced across the board in both film and TV with television commissioning seeming to tail off as the industry experiences its worst advertising downturn in 15 years.
Until recently, unscripted projects, as they’re known, were a reliable all-year-round source of employment, but now 65% of people who once worked in reality TV are out of work.
For over two decades James Taylor has worked as a series producer on some of the biggest reality shows on TV, including the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and ITV’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
He told Sky News: “It’s easy to see that the strikes in America are having a direct issue in the UK, whereas something that’s less quantifiable is the commissioning slowdown here in the UK.
“You can’t really put your finger on it because the broadcasters aren’t releasing stats on that and saying we are commissioning fewer programmes.
‘It’s easy to see that the strikes in America are having a direct issue in the UK’, says James
“The economics within the industry are changing and all freelancers want to know is some information… if we know that there are going to be fewer programmes made here in the UK going forward, people can look for a job elsewhere.
“[Instead] there’s been this sort of tantalising prospect that things will get back to normal in a few weeks or months so people are waiting, in the meantime struggling to pay their bills and mortgages.”
More than a quarter (26%) of those surveyed reported really struggling with their mental health as a result of the drop off of available work, with a number of respondents reporting having had breakdowns or becoming suicidal as a result.
‘No pension, no career, no future’
As the head of BECTU, Philippa Childs, explained: “It’s a perfect storm. There are tens of thousands of people who work in this industry and they’re facing a crisis… this is a real crisis for the industry.”
“I think we all hoped 2023 was a bit of a blip… but unfortunately that hasn’t proven to be the case… people are really getting very desperate.”
Not only does the British TV and film industry generate billions of pounds for the economy, it also employs tens of thousands of people and a dream career for many skilled workers in this country has now become a nightmare.
As one woman wrote: “We’re told it’s part of the risk of choosing this job we’re “so lucky” to have… yet what do we have to show for it? Nothing. No pension. No career. No future… It feels like redundancy without any severance package.”
The Salt Path author Raynor Winn’s fourth book has been delayed by her publisher.
It comes amid claims that the author lied about her story in her hit first book. Winn previously described the claims as “highly misleading” and called suggestions that her husband had Moth made up his illness “utterly vile”.
In a statement, Penguin Michael Joseph, said it had delayed the publication of Winn’s latest book On Winter Hill – which had been set for release 23 October.
The publisher said the decision had been made in light of “recent events, in particular intrusive conjecture around Moth’s health”, which it said had caused “considerable distress” to the author and her family.
“It is our priority to support the author at this time,” the publisher said.
“With this in mind, Penguin Michael Joseph, together with the author, has made the decision to delay the publication of On Winter Hill from this October.”
A new release date will be announced in due course, the publisher added.
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Winn’s first book, released in 2018, detailed the journey she and husband took along the South West Coast Path – familiarly known as The Salt Path – after they lost their family farm and Moth received a terminal health diagnosis of Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD).
But a report in The Observer disputed key aspects of the 2018 “true” story – which was recently turned into a film starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.
Raynor and husband Moth (centre) with actors Jason Isaacs (L) and Gillian Anderson (R). Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
Experts ‘sceptical of health claims’
As part of the article, published last weekend, The Observer claimed to have spoken to experts who were “sceptical” about elements of Moth’s terminal diagnosis, such as a “lack of acute symptoms and his apparent ability to reverse them”.
In the ensuing controversy, PSPA, a charity that supports people with CBD, cut ties with the couple.
The Observer article also claimed the portrayal of a failed investment in a friend’s business wasn’t true, but said the couple – whose names are Sally and Tim Walker – lost their home after Raynor Winn embezzled money from her employer and had to borrow to pay it back and avoid police action.
Anderson played Winn in a movie about the couple’s journey. Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
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It also said that, rather than being homeless, the couple had owned a house in France since 2007.
Winn’s statement said the dispute with her employer wasn’t the reason the couple lost their home – but admitted she may have made “mistakes” while in the job.
“For me it was a pressured time,” she wrote. “It was also a time when mistakes were being made in the business. Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry.”
She admitted being questioned by police but said she wasn’t charged.
The author also said accusations that Moth lied about having CBD/CBS were false and had “emotionally devastated” him.
“I have charted Moth’s condition with such a level of honesty, that this is the most unbearable of the allegations,” Winn wrote on her website.
The first fan started queuing before 8am.
Heaton Park, just north of Manchester City centre, is tonight hosting 80,000 fans who’ve come to see the Gallaghers’ homecoming.
“I would honestly say it’s a real cultural moment of the 21st century,” says Sam, who’s from Manchester and has come here with a group of friends – including one who has travelled from Australia for the gig.
Oasis fans wear band T-shirts with the almost obligatory bucket hats. Pic: Reuters
This will be the fourth time Sam has seen Oasis play, although obviously not for many years, and he says he can’t wait for the moment the band comes on to the stage.
“The reaction from the fans, that’s going to be really special,” he says. “This band means so much to the North West.”
Like many people attending tonight’s concert, Sam is wearing a bucket hat.
Liam Gallagher’s iconic headgear has become a part of the band’s cultural legacy and they are certainly on display here, with street vendors popping up all around the park’s perimeter.
Another fan, Dean, tells me he feels incredibly lucky to have got a ticket at all.
“I had seven devices out when the tickets were released and I didn’t get one,” he says. “And then about three days ago, a friend of mine messaged to say she couldn’t make it.
“So I made it. £120 with coach travel there and back – perfect.”
Dom has flown from half a world away to be in Manchester tonight
Dom is another fan who has come from Australia for the gig.
“We’re frothing to be here, like so stoked,” he says, “The atmosphere is going to be electric.”
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One young couple are here on their honeymoon. From Italy, they met at a Liam Gallagher concert several years ago.
“It’s where we fell in love,” Claudia says. “And we got married last month so we wanted to be here to celebrate.”
Amanda, from Manchester, is also here with a loved one – well, sort of.
Amanda has found a way to make sure her son, who lives in Australia, is there in spirit
She’s wearing a paper cut-out mask of her 30-year-old son Harry’s face.
“He’s in Melbourne and got a ticket but then couldn’t come,” Amanda explains.
“And so Harry doesn’t feel left out,” she says pulling the mask down over her face, “we’ve brought him with us!”
Entertainment
Chris Brown: R&B singer denies further charges following alleged bottle attack in London club
R&B singer Chris Brown has denied further charges following an alleged bottle attack in a London nightclub.
The 36-year-old pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) to music producer Abraham Diaw, during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
Brown also denied one count of having an offensive weapon – a bottle – in a public place.
Chris Brown arriving at Southwark Crown Court on Friday. Pic: PA
The Grammy-winning US musician last month pleaded not guilty to a more serious charge of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Mr Diaw.
The attack allegedly happened at the Tape venue, a private members’ club in Hanover Square, Mayfair, on 19 February 2023.
The plea hearing is part of preparations for his five to seven-day trial, which is due to take place from 26 October 2026.
Brown’s co-defendant, US national Omololu Akinlolu, 39, on Friday pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Diaw occasioning him actual bodily harm.
Akinlolu, a rapper who goes by the name Hoody Baby, has previously pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.
Brown’s co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu arrives at court. Pic: Reuters
The defendants sat side-by-side in the dock, looking straight ahead during the hearing in London.
Around 20 fans sat in the public gallery behind the dock for Friday’s hearing, with several gasping as Brown walked into the courtroom.
The Go Crazy singer was able to continue with his scheduled international tour after he was freed on conditional bail in May.
He had to pay a £5m security fee to the court as part of the bail agreement, which is a financial guarantee to ensure a defendant returns to court and may be forfeited if they breach bail conditions.
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Mr Diaw was standing at the bar of the Tape nightclub when he was struck several times with a bottle, and then pursued to a separate area of the venue where he was punched and kicked repeatedly, Manchester Magistrates’ Court previously heard.
Brown was arrested at Manchester’s Lowry Hotel at 2am on 15 May by detectives from the Metropolitan Police.
He is said to have flown into Manchester Airport on a private jet in preparation for the UK tour dates.
Brown was released from HMP Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester, on 21 May.
The singer, who rose to stardom as a teenager in 2005, won his first Grammy award for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E..
He earned his second in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year.
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