River City is so important to Scotland that BBC simply cannot scrap it

River City has helped to nurture the careers of future stars but also to train large numbers of people in how to produce TV shows

When River City first launched in 2002, the Scottish-made soap set in a fictional neighbourhood of Glasgow was only given a year. Yet the producers, writers, actors, and film crews behind Scotland’s only soap believed in its potential.

As Ken MacQuarrie, BBC Scotland's head of programming, said at the time: "What we are effectively doing here is developing a star factory, a long-running project that gives a boost to the wealth of talent that we've got here in Scotland, whether it is writing, directing, acting – and which we want to see develop and grow."

More than two decades on, River City is still attracting hundreds of thousands of viewers and has launched the careers of everyone from Gary Lamont, who has featured in hit series Boiling Point and Rivals, to Sam Heughan, the internationally recognised star of Outlander.

The BBC's Glasgow-based soap opera River City is set to come to an end | BBC Studios Drama Production/BBC Scotland

As River City is filmed in my constituency of Dumbarton, I know first-hand the impact a film studio has on a local economy. And so I also understand why the BBC’s decision to scrap the soap and end the use of the studio has caused so much outrage.

More than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling for the BBC to reverse its decision, including Frankie Boyle, Robert Carlyle, Richard E Grant and Sanjeev Kohli. But it’s not just about the famous names – River City has given a break to Scots working behind the camera as well.

Since August 2022 alone, River City has hosted 72 trainees, all based in Scotland, including five female director trainees and 11 female writers, but also trainee electricians, sound engineers, make-up artists and producers.

As Martin McHard, a researcher on River City, put it: “Without River City, I would not be in the position I am, know the people I know, have the skills that I have acquired. It’s been more important to me than I can put into words, and I worry for the Scottish television landscape without it.”

By providing enough regular freelance work, River City keeps skilled creatives in Scotland rather than move to London or Manchester. It’s that same talent pool and infrastructure that attracts streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon.

The BBC has pledged to continue to film network drama in Scotland, but there is a huge difference between flying crews up from London and creating homegrown productions, using Scottish-based creative talent.

That’s why this week I will be speaking in the Scottish Parliament debate on River City, urging the BBC to reverse its damaging decision and secure the future of Scotland’s creative industries.

Yes, traditional TV habits are changing, but River City has already proved it can adapt with the times. The owners of the Dumbarton studio have made it clear that they are happy to renew the BBC’s lease.

As Stephen Purdon, the actor who plays Shellsuit Bob, put it on River City’s 20-year anniversary: “Scottish audiences are very loyal. There’s EastEnders, of course, and Coronation Street, but River City is theirs.” The BBC should listen to Shellsuit Bob.

Jackie Baillie is MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and her party’s spokesperson for health