A 77-year-old actor has accused television producers of relying on "insulting" stereotypes when portraying older people on screen, a criticism echoed by a new industry report that found millions of Britons aged 55 and over feel ignored by modern programming.
Chris Conil, who has worked as an extra on programmes including EastEnders, Silent Witness and The Bill, said broadcasters too often present older characters as "grumpy, feeble or comic relief" while prioritising younger audiences. His comments come as the Freeview channel network Great! published "The Upper Third" report, which found a substantial portion of the 55-plus population feel underrepresented by current TV schedules.
"Ageing is a chapter, not the final page," Conil said. "We are like fine wine, matured, but still with flavour. When you uncork us, there is anticipation, richness and character. That is what producers should be showing." He added that older viewers bring "decades of purchasing power, cultural sophistication, and viewing loyalty" and criticised what he called patronising portrayals.
The Upper Third report, produced by Great!, found that a third of the UK population — roughly 22 million people — are aged 55 or over. According to the study, 26 percent of mature viewers feel forgotten by today’s TV producers despite watching more television than any other age group, averaging three hours and 42 minutes of viewing per day. The research involved 2,092 people aged 18 and over, with additional research of 2,060 people aged over 55 conducted in August 2025.
The report also found that 85 percent of over-55s felt they were not portrayed positively on television, a figure that rose to 89 percent for women over 75. Two-thirds of respondents (63 percent) said older actors in modern dramas tend to play "offensive," "doddering" or otherwise stereotypical characters who are often the "butt of the joke." Great! noted that in the previous week the five terrestrial channels had shown just nine classic programmes, representing less than 5 percent of total programming.
Great! is relaunching its network — which includes Great! TV, Great! Action, Great! Mystery and a seasonal Great! Christmas channel — with a programming strategy aimed at older audiences. The relaunch, which hit screens on Freeview channel 34 on Sept. 4, features classic series and films such as 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," Kate Gartland, marketing director for Great!, said in a statement. "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, a former baker who trained at the National Bakery School and later ran a retirement home for 14 years, said his experience with older communities informs his view of what television should show. He said retirement homes contain "eccentricity, history, stories that span decades and a sense of family bonding," and that television plays an "integral" role in residents' lives by keeping memories alive.
He praised recent programmes that he said offer more nuanced portrayals, pointing to BBC drama Happy Valley and the sitcom The Vicar of Dibley for their cross-generational appeal. Conil also described Netflix's star-studded adaptation of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club novels as "a good start," and said he hoped further adaptations would expand opportunities for older actors.
Conil has pursued acting later in life and is the star of a new series of advertisements for Great! TV. He has also been a local councillor and a commercial model, and has described a varied life in entertainment and local business. He argued that dramas and comedies should exploit the depth older characters bring, rather than reduce them to "cardboard cut-outs."
The Great! network framed its relaunch as a response to survey findings and to what it described as a wider industry trend toward programming targeted at younger viewers. The network said its mission is to "bring back the best of British television for a nation of forgotten viewers," offering curated schedules intended to echo the tastes of its core audience.
Broadcasters and commissioners have in recent years pointed to competing commercial pressures, changing viewing habits across age groups and the growth of streaming platforms as factors shaping programme choices. Industry analysts say older audiences remain a significant segment of linear-TV viewership, but programming strategies differ across public service broadcasters, commercial channels and streaming services.
Conil said television that treats mature viewers with complexity and respect would be rewarded by loyalty and word of mouth. "Give us characters with proper stories, not cardboard cut-outs," he said. "If you respect older viewers, they'll be loyal and spread the word. But right now, we're being let down."