BBC ‘is spending millions on big films instead of developing talent’
Big fan... sailor Pip Hare
Dorset, had caught the actor’s attention when she told her local BBC radio station she was a big fan of the 56-year-old star.
In the online message, Crowe said: “Happy birthday Pip. I hear you’re sailing round the globe. Just keep going.”
His tweet came as Pip was feeling wiped out after a nasty jellyfish sting – 2,000 miles from the end of the gruelling 21,000-mile, Vendee Globe race.
She will become the seventh woman to finish it when her 60ft yacht Medallia reaches the west coast of France.
Pip said Crowe’s big 2003 nautical film role had drawn her to him.
She added: “I love Russell because I am a big fan of Master And Commander – he is really good in that.”
BBC bosses are under fire for spending millions of pounds of licence fee cash on films and TV shows made by Hollywood studios.
The move is seen by rivals as a “cynical and expensive” way to attract young people on to iPlayer.
One source claimed the BBC has recently spent many millions on movies that would otherwise have appeared free-to-air in the UK on ITV, Channel 4 or Channel 5.
The BBC’s US titles include teen drama Pretty Little Liars, sci-fi favourite Battlestar Galactica and horror series Bates Motel.Movies include Marvel film Iron Man and Pirates Of The Caribbean.
A source at a commercial rival fumed: “Why don’t they spend the money on British content? They are throwing cash at the American studios and hoovering up films that would have been available in Britain for free anyway.
“This is just a cynical and expensive way of getting young people to use iPlayer.”
New director-general Tim Davie says he wants iPlayer to become a “primary video destination service” and increase its 15 per cent share of online viewing.
A BBC spokesman said it was “standard practice” to offer bought-in shows alongside the content it produces itself.
Annual spending on acquisitions is less than five per cent of the £1.6billion public service content spend – around £80million.
Last year the BBC ditched free TV licences to the over-75s because of a shortfall in cash.