A 77-year-old actor has accused television producers of relying on "insulting" stereotypes when depicting older people on screen, a complaint that comes as a new report finds millions of Britons aged 55 and over feel overlooked by contemporary programming.
Chris Conil, who has appeared as an extra in series including EastEnders, Silent Witness and The Bill, said older characters are frequently reduced to "grumpy, feeble or comic relief" and that broadcasters are prioritising younger audiences at the expense of mature viewers. "Ageing is a chapter, not the final page," he said. "Give us characters with proper stories, not cardboard cut-outs. If you respect older viewers, they'll be loyal and spread the word. But right now, we're being let down."
The comments accompany "The Upper Third," a report published by the Freeview channel network Great!, which argues that the UK’s over-55 population — roughly a third of the country, or about 22 million people — feel underrepresented on television. The study, which surveyed 2,092 people aged 18 to over 75 and conducted additional research among 2,060 people aged over 55 in August 2025, found that 26 percent of mature viewers feel "forgotten" by modern TV producers despite averaging three hours and 42 minutes of viewing a day.
The report states that 85 percent of over-55s feel they are not portrayed positively on television, rising to 89 percent among women over 75. It adds that 63 percent of over-55s believe older actors in contemporary dramas tend to play what respondents described as "offensive," "doddering" or other stereotypical characters often made the "butt of the joke." Great! also reported that, in the past week, the five terrestrial channels aired just nine classic shows, representing less than 5 percent of total programming.
Conil praised examples he said offer more nuanced portrayals, singling out Netflix's adaptation of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club as a "good start," and commending BBC dramas such as Happy Valley and the comedy The Vicar of Dibley for writing that "appeal across generations." He said television should reflect the range of experience among older people, noting his own varied life before acting in later years, including running a retirement home and working as a baker and hotel manager.
Great! is relaunching its network — including Great! TV, Great! Action, Great! Mystery and a newly introduced Great! Christmas — with a stated aim of serving audiences who feel left behind by mainstream broadcasters. The relaunch began on Freeview channel 34 on September 4 and features programmes including Rising Damp, Murder, She Wrote and the Carry On films.
"Britain's most loyal TV viewers are 'not young,' and so they're being routinely ignored by broadcasters," Great!'s marketing director Kate Gartland said. "Our core audiences are telling us loud and clear they feel left behind and want somewhere to watch their favourite shows — and that's exactly what we're giving them at Great! We curate our channels to celebrate the shows our audiences want, just how they want them."
Conil, who stars in a new series of television advertisements for Great! TV, said television plays an "integral" role in the lives of older people, particularly those in care settings, where he said programmes help keep memories alive and provide companionship. He urged producers to take greater creative risks and to offer older actors roles with complexity and depth rather than relying on comic or pitiable tropes.
The findings from Great! add to an ongoing conversation among industry figures, viewers and advocacy groups about representation and audience targeting in broadcasting. Broadcasters have in recent years adjusted schedules and formats to chase younger demographics prized by some advertisers, a shift critics say can marginalise older viewers who watch more television than any other age cohort. Great!'s relaunch positions classic and long-running series as an alternative for those audiences and aims to increase what it calls "curated" programming for mature viewers.