BBC & Studio Lambert Accused Over Scottish Roots

EXCLUSIVE: The Traitors is all about backstabbing and accusations, however accusations of deception have now prolonged to the behind-the-scenes manufacturing of the hit present.

The BBC has been accused of portray a “really stunning image” in the case of the variety of individuals engaged on the present who’re primarily based in Scotland, which is the place it’s filmed and the place it qualifies as a “Scottish fee” underneath Ofcom rules.

The Traitors UK is made by Studio Lambert Scotland and is filmed at a citadel in distant Inverness. Nevertheless, veteran Scottish TV director Peter Strachan, who’s on the board of commerce physique Director’s UK, has claimed the present might be failing on the Ofcom rules. These rules require producers to satisfy two of three standards to qualify as out-of-London: having a “substantive base” within the area, investing 70% of “manufacturing spend” outdoors the English capital and having a minimum of 50% of the off-screen expertise primarily based outdoors London.

Strachan claims he has run the rule over The Traitors manufacturing group and located that “over 80%” are primarily based outdoors Scotland. He additionally claims that if a Glasgow-based BBC government producer was eliminated, no “above the road” roles could be stuffed out of Scotland.

In a LinkedIn put up that’s being shared all through the UK manufacturing neighborhood and has amassed greater than 650 likes, Strachan stated the info paints a “really stunning image.” He accused the BBC of “de facto cultural bias” and stated it’s “refusing to behave pretty.”

“Even when The Traitors does meet these two standards, it’s clearly not being accomplished within the spirit of the Ofcom Regional Manufacturing rules,” added Strachan. Knowledgeable sources within the Scottish sector inform us that these questions have been raised inside the Scottish manufacturing neighborhood over the previous couple of years, since The Traitors launched with a bang in January 2023.

Insiders informed us that the third season of The Traitors does meet the Ofcom standards for an out-of-London manufacturing and that alternatives for native freelancers have elevated because the seasons have rolled on. Studio Lambert has round 10 workers in its Scotland workplace in Glasgow and is engaged on creating different exhibits and coaching alternatives.

Display screen Scotland Director David Smith informed Deadline his group is “actively partaking” with the BBC and Studio Lambert relating to The Traitors and, whereas enchancment is required, the present is on a “journey.” “This can be a present that’s representing a component of Scotland, its geography, actually positively, in order a consequence we’re supportive of it,” he added.

However Strachan described his findings because the “tip of the iceberg” for TV manufacturing in Scotland. “Now we have discovered many different supposedly Scottish productions are failing to create jobs for broadcast freelancers in Scotland,” he added. “It’s proof that the BBC shouldn’t be commissioning pretty and that its spend isn’t translating into a good stage of job alternative throughout the UK.”

Strachan’s put up is well timed. A Display screen Scotland report from late final 12 months discovered that solely 5 of the highest 15 Scottish producers have been headquartered in Scotland. Defending the findings from this report as lately as yesterday, new BBC Scotland Director Hayley Valentine stated BBC Scotland’s definition of what makes a ‘Scottish’ firm is wider than what Display screen Scotland says and stated Display screen Scotland’s information was seen via a “prism.”

However issuing an announcement yesterday, Smith rejected Valentine’s notion of the “prism.” “That prism was Ofcom’s Made Out of London Register, and the episodes the BBC had opted to say have been Scottish qualifying in that Register,” he stated, whereas questioning the dearth of proof over the BBC’s declare that it spent £300M ($370M) final 12 months on content material in Scotland.

The UK’s networks have lengthy been plagued with criticism from the indie sector over their London skew. Nations & Areas guidelines are set by Ofcom and are in place to create a fairer system and extra work for ‘true’ native indies. They have been final up to date round six years in the past.

The Traitors launched its third season final week and has been posting its greatest rankings but, with greater than 5M tuning in once more final night time. A celeb model can even launch later this 12 months. The present has offered world wide and a profitable U.S. model airs on Peacock.

The BBC and Studio Lambert declined remark.