American arm withdraws funding

Cable channel BBC America has previously contributed to the making of The Office, The Thick Of It, Jam & Jerusalem and Love Soup.

However, executives in the US believe that helping to finance British comedies has little benefit for them, citing the fact the six-episode series UK shows tend to make are too short to in the American market.

Their decision has led to fears that the BBC, which is already facing a below-inflation licence fee rise, will be increasingly unable to afford to make comedy programmes.

One of the first sitcoms to be hit by the decision is Beautiful People, about a boy growing up in Reading. The show, written by Gimme Gimme Gimme creator Jonathan Harvey, is being produced by former BBC head of comedy Jon Plowman.

A spokeswoman for BBC America, which is not funded by the licence fee, told MediaGuardian: ‘Pre-investing in titles with no guarantee of more than six episodes isn't a sound business for a cable channel trying to build audience in a 200-channel environment.’

However, the channel will continue to buy in British comedies if it thinks they will be a success. BBC America is currently airing Not Going Out, Spaced, Gavin & Stacey and The Catherine Tate Show.

Published: 28 Jun 2008