BBC bans all-male panels on comedy shows

BBC Television stated that it is not acceptable that women have not been present on shows like QI and Mock of the Week.

13:14 10 February 2014

The Director of BBC Television has listened to complaints about the “testosterone-fuelled” nature of shows such as Mock of the Week and have announced that BBC will ban all-male panels on comedy shows starting immediately. 

 

Danny Cohen said: “We’re not going to have panel shows on any more with no women on them. You can’t do that. It’s not acceptable.”

 

A BBC spokesman said: “There may be very rare occasions where shows that were already recorded - or whose panels were already booked ahead of the order - still have all-male line-ups, but hopefully the change should really become apparent.”

 

Female comedians and TV viewers were delighted with the news. Katy Brand, who had her own show on ITV said: “Finally! Thank you Danny Cohen.”

 

Kate Kinninmont, chief executive of Women in Film and Television, a group for women working in the industry, said last year that several of these shows had made progress: “People said for years there are no funny women and it was a struggle to get women on shows like Have I Got News for You. But that has improved, as has the number of women on Question Time.”