‘Wolf Hall’ Director Issues Warning on State of British Shows: “We need to ensure that (…) they don’t drive U.K.-skewed, public service drama out of existence.”

Director Peter Kosminsky, known for the acclaimed Wolf Hall, is raising concerns about the state of high-budget TV in the UK. In evidence submitted to a parliamentary inquiry, he explained how The Mirror and the Light, the follow-up to Wolf Hall, barely made it to screens.
Kosminsky shared that if they tried to create The Mirror and the Light today, it simply wouldn’t happen. Even with the success of Wolf Hall, which starred Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell and earned multiple awards, including a Golden Globe, streamers turned down the final chapter of Hilary Mantel’s trilogy.
The production only moved forward because key team members, including the lead actor, writer, and director, agreed to work for reduced fees. Kosminsky noted they had spent ten years developing the series, but the financial realities of making it were brutal.
When the series finally aired on BBC One, Kosminsky pointed out a troubling issue: funding from public service broadcasters (PSBs), combined with tax breaks, no longer covers the rising costs of high-end dramas in 2024. He highlighted how streaming platforms have created an expensive production environment, leaving UK-specific shows in limbo.
According to Pact, a UK screen trade group, at least 15 dramas greenlit by PSBs can’t proceed due to funding gaps. The BBC echoed this problem, revealing many series are stuck and that even successful projects, like Nightsleeper, haven’t stopped production companies from shutting down.
Kosminsky blamed the focus on creating content with global appeal. He explained that while these shows are important to UK audiences, streamers see them as risky investments without enough potential to reach American viewers.
He stressed that British culture should not be sidelined. Public service drama, he argued, is an essential part of free speech and national identity. Without support, it’s at risk of disappearing entirely.
To address this, Kosminsky proposed that streaming platforms should contribute 5% of their UK subscription revenues to a fund specifically for high-end UK-focused dramas. He noted that 17 European countries already have similar policies, and despite resistance from Netflix in Germany and France, the platform lost its legal battles there.
Kosminsky believes this approach could secure the future of uniquely British stories, ensuring they aren’t lost in the push for global appeal. Parliament is set to hear this evidence in its final session, with a full report expected in the spring.
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