The BBC addresses concerns about the lack of Scottish talent in The Traitors, following accusations of unfair commissioning practices.
Glasgow: The BBC recently reported on a controversy surrounding The Traitors. This issue has been in the news since January. It all started after the show’s finale on Friday.
Director Peter Strachan shared his thoughts on LinkedIn. He claimed the money spent on The Traitors isn’t creating enough job opportunities across the UK. He pointed out that 81% of the production team is based in London.
The BBC responded to Strachan’s claims. They stated that The Traitors is made in the Scottish Highlands. According to them, it qualifies as a Scottish production under Ofcom’s rules.
Ofcom has guidelines to encourage production companies to create more jobs outside London. The Traitors counts towards the BBC’s requirement to spend 8% of its budget in Scotland.
Strachan emphasized the need for better representation in Scotland’s off-screen industry. He noted that only 4% of key roles in The Traitors were filled by Scottish staff.
On Monday, the BBC published an article asking why so few Scottish people work on The Traitors. They spoke to two Scottish freelancers who worked on the show.
These freelancers were worried about speaking out. They wanted to protect their future job opportunities. One expressed frustration about the lack of work in Scotland.
Another freelancer mentioned that many of their peers had little experience in Scotland outside of the show.
Strachan pointed out that without the Glasgow-based executive producer, the percentage of Scottish roles would be zero. He shared that only 6.52% of below-the-line roles are based in Scotland.
Strachan, who is part of Directors UK, is advocating for better opportunities for Scottish talent. Stephen Lambert, from Studio Lambert, acknowledged the talent in Scotland but noted that reality shows require specialized skills.
Lambert mentioned they are training Scottish talent for The Traitors. However, he believes the show’s success comes from hiring experienced production staff from the UK.
Studio Lambert did not confirm the percentage of Scottish workers on The Traitors when asked by the BBC.
In response to Strachan’s claims, a BBC spokesperson reiterated that The Traitors qualifies as a Scottish production.
