Gogglebox television producer Stephen Lambert was among those who issued a stark warning against the UK Government's plans to privatise Channel 4 during the 2022 BAFTA awards. He made the comments while accepting an award for the TV series at the ceremony on Sunday, May 8.
Stephen, the chief executive of Studio Lambert, is responsible for launching TV shows including Undercover Boss, Wife Swap and The Secret Millionaire. He also launched Channel 4's multi-award-winning Gogglebox in 2013. As he accepted the award for Reality and Constructed Factual series, he admitted the show had initially been a risk for Channel 4, Birmingham Live reports. He said: “Gogglebox might have ended when it started nine years ago because it had modest ratings but a publicly owned risk-taking Channel 4 believed in it and they stuck with it."
Read more: Frontline workers reduce Britain's Got Talent judges to tears with heartfelt audition
The broadcast then cut back to host Richard Ayoade, however according to sources at the event, Stephen continued to say: "If the Government goes ahead with its destructive plan [to privatise Channel 4] those risks won’t be taken." Twitter user, Amy @geordiegalg spotted the moment Stephen's speech was cut. They commented: "Well that speech about Channel 4 was clearly cut. Would have been nice to hear what they said!"
Richard @MrRichDouglas asked: "Did his #channel4 speech just get cut??" And Twitter user @socialmediajon1 added: "Wow they cut that persons speech about C4 off quickly didn’t they?!"
It comes just hours after Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies made a similar dig at the Government's plans for the future of Channel 4. Chatting about his drama, It's A Sin, which is up for 11 awards, he said: "Of course, it was made on a channel that the Government's going to sell off while they're also planning to get rid of the BBC licence fee so if you like shows like this, go and vote differently, that's what I say."
The BAFTA TV Awards 2022 are available to stream via BBC iPlayer
