Mark Kermode and Simon Blackwell are among the BBC stars to speak out in opposition to BBC Four becoming an archive channel.
On Monday (29 March), it was announced that the arts and culture channel, which first launched in 2002, would become the “home” of archive content at the BBC, with fewer new programmes being commissioned as part of a cost-cutting drive across the network.
The channel will continue to air new performances such as BBC Proms, BBC Young Dancer and BBC Young Musician.
However, the news that BBC Four would be commissioning fewer new series prompted backlash from those who had worked with the channel before.
“Very proud to have made several series of SECRETS OF CINEMA for @BBCFour,” film critic Mark Kermode posted. “Genuinely saddened by reports that the channel is now being turned into an ‘archive service’ for cost-cutting reasons.”
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The Thick of It writer Simon Blackwell tweeted that it was a “great big shame”, as there would have been “no Thick Of It without BBC Four, so no In The Loop or Veep either”.
Documentary maker Dr Janina Ramirez wrote: “I’m absolutely gutted about this. I wouldn’t have my career if #BBCFour hadn’t existed. [Where] will new talent grow? It was the envy of the world. It’s a huge loss.”
Danny Baker posted: “Done quite a few series for #BBC4. Here’s the team who made the ‘Brushing Up’ programmes. Teeny weeny budgets for mammoth ideas. Almost the inverse of the mainstream.”
Science presenter James Wong tweeted: “This is really sad. In an industry increasingly dominated by depressing reality shows filled with arguments, and 1000 formats seemingly based on the same premise as social media clickbait, BBC4 was like a Frasierian portal to another world to me.”
