Actress Sally Phillips has criticized the BBC for what she described as a 'heinous' number of female comedy writers, suggesting this could jeopardize her future employment with the broadcaster. Phillips, who co-created and co-wrote the sketch show "Smack the Pony," shared her concerns on the "Girls On Film" podcast.
Phillips stated that while more women are involved in comedy now, the industry remains heavily dominated by white men. She cited statistics indicating that only about 11 percent of all TV comedies are directed by women, and for the BBC specifically, that figure is around eight percent. She further claimed that if individuals married to BBC commissioners are excluded, the percentage of women in directing roles drops to three percent.
Regarding writers' rooms, Phillips estimated that approximately 17 to 18 percent are mixed-gender, but the number of solo pieces written by women is significantly lower. She also highlighted the even more limited representation of women of color in comedy, noting that comedies directed by women of color account for about 4.5 percent, despite their disproportionate success.
"Comedy is really, really dominated by white men," Phillips said. "And it’s really hard to break away from that because if you’re not given chances then you’re not given a chance to fail actually."
Phillips also reflected on the negative online abuse her son Olly received after starring in her 2016 BBC documentary, "A World Without Down's Syndrome?" She described the comments as "horrible" and expressed that people with Down's syndrome are more sensitive to grief. She concluded that she does not believe anything positive has ever come from social media.