Christopher Eccleston believes the quality of British television needs to improve.
The former ‘Doctor Who’ star is disappointed that the American TV industry has managed to overtake Britain to produce more popular shows and feels something must be done to improve the situation.
He shared: "When I first started going out to America in the early 90s, people were forever talking about the quality of British television. Now… they’re always going on about the quality of American television and, aside from occasional exports like ‘Downton Abbey’, they have raised the bar in the TV world."
The 50-year-old actor – who is currently starring alongside Stanley Tucci and Michael Gambon in Sky Atlantic’s ‘Fortitude’ – claims it is up to British writers to step up and challenge those from the US.
He added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I think we are more than capable of doing it but the writers, not directors, not the producers, not the actors, are key to this. The problem with television is when it starts to get created by a group of bean counters or by one actor."
Christopher also commented on the state of the movie businesses, insisting there is no British film industry.
He explained: "The comic book franchise and popcorn movie have completely swallowed up the filmgoing experience.
"There is also a lot of dross around so the genuinely creative people have moved into television because it’s like a long-form novel.
"You can still find quality scripts in American film but you can’t in British film because we don’t have a British film industry. The government has no interest in supporting it."
Christopher Eccleston disappointed in British television
