Stars call on BBC to back local coverage

Outcry at threat of cuts to investigative reporting

SIR LENNY Henry, Stephen Fry and Fern Britton are among the stars who have signed a letter to the BBC urging the corporation not to cut regional current affairs programmes.

More than 100 well-known figures from the arts, entertainment, journalism, science and politics, including comedian Les Dennis, musician Marc Almond, and director Ken Loach, have written in defence of regional programmes.

Staff on the 11 regional Inside Out programmes have been told to stop filming for September’s series while a review is carried out on its future and there are fears that the regional Sunday politics programmes, which have been cut from 11 to one England-wide show because of Covid-19, will not return, the National Union of Journalists has said.

A letter to director-general Tony Hall and Tim Davie, who will replace him in the role, said: “We are extremely concerned that the BBC regional current affairs programme Inside Out has had its forthcoming series cancelled and the future of all 11 regional departments in England is under review and could even be cut completely.”

It added: “Never has indepth investigative journalism, holding people to account and reflecting the regional diversity of England been more important.”

“If these cuts were to become permanent they risk damaging English democracy by the failure to provide an important platform for those voices in our communities who need and want to be heard.

“Even when faced with financial pressures we urge you not to reduce regional programmes and to defend a vital element of public service broadcasting not available anywhere else.”

Inside Out has covered stories on the working practices at Sports Direct, an investigation into the number of UK deaths caused by removal of the hard shoulder and an examination of the impact of county lines drug dealing on families.

Broadcaster Samira Ahmed said: “I was proud to be part of an Inside Out investigation for BBC Leeds that dared to tackle difficult issues around race and exploitation in the Rotherham grooming scandal.

“Now more than ever we need honest, fearless journalism that is rooted in the longterm expertise and professionalism of BBC journalists who know their local communities. The BBC’s reputation is built on journalists like these.”

Cracker writer Jimmy McGovern, who is returning to BBC One with a drama about a Liverpool teenager murdered in a racist attack 15 years ago, said: “As Boris Johnson demonstrated recently when he eased the lockdown despite the virus still raging in Liverpool and Manchester, ‘whatever suits London suits the country’.

“It doesn’t. That’s why you need regional television.”