Directors Digest — Friday 1 March 2024

This week, Channel 4 announce plans to cut long-running teen soap Hollyoaks to three episodes a week from September 2024, a new Bectu survey shows the impact of the commissioning slowdown on freelancers and much more. Read all about it in Directors Digest below.

News

Channel 4 have announced plans to cut flagship soap Hollyoaks to three episodes per week from September 2024. (Broadcast) Directors UK's Chief Executive Andy Harrower responded to the news, calling it “more bad news for our members”. 

New research by Bectu showed the impact of the commissioning slowdown on freelancers. (Televisual) Echoing their call for an urgent industry summit on the ongoing crisis, Andy has written to Secretary of State for CMS Lucy Frazer MP. 

A survey carried out by the Film + TV Charity has revealed that almost every person of Arab, Muslim and Jewish heritage working in TV and film have suffered mental health declines since the Israel-Gaza conflict began. (Deadline)

Some of the UK's biggest production companies, Bad Wolf and Left Bank, have started developing lower-budget slates in response to the current market. (Deadline)

Ofcom says that streamers will be regulated by 2026, reports Broadcast.

Features

Mubi are working with the Schools Consent Project to screen Molly Manning Walker's How to Have Sex in secondary schools across England and Wales, as part of lawyer-led workshops educating young people about sex and consent. (Schools Consent Project)

The Guardian rounds up the best LGBTQ TV shows ever, from Drag Race to Will & Grace.