BBC Content Director Has a Message for Reality TV Snobs

Kate Phillips, BBC Director of Content, has a message for reality TV snobs. Speaking at MIPCOM during a 'Reality Check' session at BBC Studios, Phillips discussed the power of reality television and called for producers to submit more proposals for a wider release of screenplays. 'For me, reality is the toughest genre for us, which [...]'

BBC content director Keith Phillips has a message for reality TV cheaters.

Phillips was at MIPCOM at the BBC Studios Reality Check session to talk about the power of reality TV and to push the script more widely, with reality producers asking for more proposals.

"For me, reality is the hardest genre for us to get right, break down and execute," Phillips said. It is not easy to do these shows. You have every duty to think about it.

Phillips said in the past there had been naysayers who said, "God forbid the BBC should do a reality show", but now more are realizing the power of unscripted, which he described as "distracting". Related News BBC Clears 'Dragon House' Star's Trans Rights On 'Strictly Come Dancing' T-Shirt

According to Phillips, around 6 billion hours of unscripted film were watched across the BBC last year, while 70% of the company's content mix is now unscripted. Big brands like The Traitors create a "halo effect," he said. Watch on Deadline

Despite big beasts like The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, BBC entertainment chief Ed Howard said he believed "we have the best ecosystem to support an unscripted show right now", citing "our [flexible] rights deals and the sheer scale of what we can do".

Howard, one of the architects of the traitorous BBC-NBC deal, also updated the BBC reboot of Top Gear and joked about the number of presenters it currently takes.

He added: "There are a lot of people who think they can present Top Gear and email to say, 'I can present Top Gear with a loop.' "I will forward all emails to [producer] BBC Studios."

Phillips and Howard were speaking at MIPCOM.

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