Former head of BBC comedy criticises broadcaster for overinvesting in drama

Jon Plowman, executive producer on 'The Office', lambasts lack of money being put into new comedy

Jon Plowman helped to bring ‘The Office’ (pictured), ‘Absolutely Fabulous’, ‘W1A’ and ‘French and Saunders’ to the screen (BBC)

The former head of the BBC’s comedy division has criticised the broadcaster for not investing more in new comedy programmes.

Jon Plowman – who helped bring The Office, Absolutely Fabulous, W1A and French and Saunders to Britain’s TV screens – said that comedies are no longer a priority as money is being syphoned off to primetime dramas.

“When viewers sit down for an evening’s telly, we must remember they might have had a hard day and just want to laugh,” he wrote in a piece for Radio Times. “Make some comedy, because if you don’t the art will be lost.”

Plowman continued: “The fact is that British comedy is no longer a priority for those who run the main channels. This is a pity because if we ever needed a laugh, it’s now.”

He went on to warn that a generation of comic writers could be lost as the focus changes towards immediate high ratings – something that has been achieved by the BBC’s latest drama, Bodyguard.

“Controllers find it easier to say no to comedy because it’s risky, and yes to another procedural drama,” he said.

“An hour of drama costs around £1m, whereas half an hour of comedy doesn’t get half that – it gets barely £300,000 or so if it’s lucky. It doesn’t make sense. Why is laughter considered so much cheaper than tears?”

Plowman also relayed how dramas are much easier to sell to foreign markets, unlike comedies. A recent example would be Killing Eve, which began in the UK on Saturday night but was first broadcast in the US, despite being a BBC production.