"Data clearly speaks a truth"- Scottish filmmaker Peter Strachan chimes on BBC's The Traitors UK

Scottish filmmaker Peter Strachan has raised concerns about BBC's hit reality show The Traitors UK and its compliance with Ofcom's regional production regulations. In a widely shared LinkedIn post, Strachan declared,

“The concerns over our PSB’s commissioning and production practices aren’t nonsense. They are very real... The data clearly speaks a truth.”

His statements highlight a broader issue regarding Scotland's representation in UK television productions and the fairness of the commissioning process.

Strachan's remarks have reignited debates about the distribution of resources and job opportunities in the UK’s television industry, focusing on whether productions labeled as "Scottish" truly benefit from Scotland’s local creative workforce.

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Regional production rules and The Traitors UK's compliance

The Traitors UK is produced by Studio Lambert Scotland and filmed at a castle in Inverness, qualifying as a “Scottish commission” under Ofcom’s regional production regulations. As per Deadline's report on January 10, 2025, these regulations require programs to meet at least two of three criteria: establishing a substantial base in the region, allocating 70% of production spending outside London, or employing at least 50% of off-screen staff outside London. He stated,

"So, is 70% of the budget really being spent in Scotland (criterion 2)?"

Strachan claims that while the program meets the technical requirements, it allegedly fails to adhere to the regulations’ spirit. He pointed out that over 80% of the production team is based outside Scotland and argued that without the involvement of a Glasgow-based BBC executive producer, no senior creative roles would be filled locally. He wrote,

"Only 6.32% of below the line roles are Scotland based. A total of just 6.05% of the big production team are based in Scotland. 22.22% of the specialist roles and facilities are based in Scotland. 81.40% of the production team are based in London."

Speaking about the implications, Strachan emphasized that such practices reflect a “de facto cultural bias” and fall short of genuinely supporting Scotland’s broadcasting industry.

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Concerns over job creation in Scotland’s creative sector

Strachan’s critique extends beyond The Traitors UK, reflecting broader issues within the UK television industry. He described the findings regarding the program’s production practices as “the tip of the iceberg," saying,

"This is the tip of the iceberg. We have found many other supposedly Scottish productions are failing to create jobs for broadcast freelancers in Scotland."

This perspective aligns with a recent Screen Scotland report, which found that only five of the top 15 Scottish producers were headquartered in Scotland. David Smith, director of Screen Scotland, acknowledged the challenges highlighted by Strachan but emphasized the positive impact of productions like The Traitors UK.

Speaking about the program, Smith stated that it showcases Scotland’s geography in a favorable light and noted that opportunities for local freelancers have increased as the show has evolved. He described the production’s efforts as being “on a journey,” with further improvements expected in the future.

According to Broadcast, Strachan’s concerns also coincide with growing criticism of the BBC’s spending in Scotland. Referring to BBC Scotland's expenditure, he said:

“Finally, the BBC also claimed in front of the Committee to have spent “almost £300million in the last year on content in Scotland”.

Smith questioned the lack of transparency in these figures, describing the disparity as indicative of systemic issues in commissioning practices.

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The Traitors UK airs at 9 PM on BBC One and is available to watch live or on-demand via BBC iPlayer.