Golden Globes 2022 dropped by NBC

Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise has handed back his Golden Globes

NBC has said it will not air next year’s Golden Globes ceremony amid backlash against organiser the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) over a lack of diversity.

The HFPA, the organisation behind the annual film and TV awards, has been under increasing fire since the publication of an LA Times report in February that revealed it had not had a single black member for 20 years.

Netflix, Amazon Studios and WarnerMedia are among the media giants to have already refused to participate in HFPA-related events, while Tom Cruise has returned the three Golden Globes he has won over the years to the HFPA.

This came after the organisation last week announced a plan for inclusion and reform that was deemed by many in Hollywood as insufficient, while it also faced accusations of “discriminatory behaviour, unprofessionalism, ethical impropriety and alleged financial corruption” by various PR firms.

NBC, which has aired the Golden Globes in the US every year since 1996, said in a statement: “Change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes.”

However, the US broadcast network left the door open to the possibility of airing the event again in 2023, should the HFPA commit to “meaningful reform,” adding: “Assuming the organisation executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”

The HFPA responded by revealing the timeline for its reform plans and stating: “Regardless of the next airdate of the Golden Globes, implementing transformational changes as quickly – and as thoughtfully – as possible remains the top priority for our organisation.

“We invite our partners in the industry to the table to work with us on the systemic reform that is long overdue, both in our organisation as well as within the industry at large.”

The streaming giants, and Netflix in particular, were the big winners at this year’s Golden Globes, picking up the majority of awards during the virtual event in March.

In related news, NBC has given a pilot order to one-hour drama Dangerous Moms, based on the Spanish series Señoras del (h)AMPA.

The project is described as “a surprising off-centre dark dramedy” about four diverse mothers who accidentally kill the queen bee of their school’s PTA during the demonstration of a high-end food processor.

The story becomes “a female anthem about friendship and family as it tells the story of one completely unprepared group of women who must juggle their everyday lives while their worlds are turned upside down,” NBC said.

Produced by Warner Bros Television, the pilot will be written by Janine Sherman Barrois, who executive produces alongside Rachel Kaplan (Absecon Entertainment), Tariq Jalil, Lucas Carter (Intrigue Entertainment), Arantxa Écija (Mediaset España Comunicación) and Santi Botello (Producciones Mandarina SL).

Created, written and directed by Carlos del Hoyo and Abril Zamora, the first season of Señoras del (h)AMPA aired on Telecinco in Spain in 2019, while Amazon Prime debuted the first part of the second season exclusively. It is produced by Mediaset España and Producciones Mandarina.