Doctor Who gets blame for Scotland's Bafta failings

Published on Tuesday 26 April 2011 15:08

THE success of Doctor Who has been blamed in part for BBC Scotland's drama output failing to make an appearance in the Bafta TV nominations when they were unveiled yesterday.

Dr John Cook, a Reader in Media at Glasgow Caledonian University, has said that the global success of Doctor Who, which is produced by BBC Wales, has resulted in funding for drama production being directed towards the region with a detrimental effect on the output of others, including Scotland.

He said: "I think the situation is pretty serious in Scotland. The big problem is that, because of the success of Doctor Who, BBC Wales is now receiving a lot of BBC funding for drama and this is affecting the overall ecology for drama in the UK.

"While BBC Scotland has invested a lot in studio space at Pacific Quay, it tends to be for factual programming and children's shows. It's my perception that it's affecting the quality of Scottish TV drama. Certainly, they're getting some funding, but not as much as Wales."

He added that it was not a case of the quality of BBC Scotland's drama, rather than the quantity being produced. A spokesman for BBC Scotland said that its drama unit had produced a "strong slate" of network productions, citing the likes of Lip Service, Young James, Case Histories and Garrow's Law.

The academic's comments came as the latest star to take the lead role in Doctor Who, Matt Smith, picked up his first Bafta nomination in the leading actor category. He is up against veteran Jim Broadbent, recognised for his role in Any Human Heart, Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, and Daniel Rigby, who played comic Eric Morecambe in Eric And Ernie.

Previous two-time winner and star of the BBC's South Riding Anna Maxwell Martin heads the field in the leading actress nominations. She is up against Vicky McClure for This Is England 86, Natalie Press for Five Daughters and Juliet Stevenson for Accused.

EastEnders star Jessie Wallace is nominated for best supporting actress for her role as Pat Phoenix in BBC drama The Road To Coronation Street. Her co-star, Lynda Baron, famous for her role as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in Open All Hours, is also nominated for the award for her portrayal of Coronation Street battleaxe Violet Carson. The show, which followed the early days of the long-running soap, is up for best single drama.

Channel 4's teen comedy drama about young offenders, Misfits, got four nominations, including nods for its stars Robert Sheehan and Lauren Socha for supporting actor and actress.

The event, properly known as the Philips British Academy Television Awards, take place on 22 May at London's Grosvenor House. The award show's host, Graham Norton, is also a nominee - singled out for entertainment performance.His chat show is also nominated for entertainment programme alongside The X-Factor, Have I Got News For You and The Cube.

Two Channel 4 series - Come Dine With Me and Hugh's Fish Fight - will battle it out in the features category with BBC2's Mary Queen of Shops and Sky One's Pineapple Dance Studios.