Survey by union Bectu finds almost half of UK’s TV industry is out of work

A survey conducted by creative industries union Bectu in the UK has found that almost half of the country’s TV industry workforce is unemployed.

Philippa Childs

The Big Bectu Survey 2025 gathered data from more than 3,600 people working in TV drama, unscripted and factual TV, broadcasting and commercials.

According to the results, 45% of TV drama workers, 46% in unscripted and 45% in commercials reported being out of work in March 2025. Fewer than one in five of those surveyed said employment had returned to pre-2023 Hollywood strike levels, while 68% of respondents said they were struggling to make ends meet.

Under-represented groups are being hit hardest, with 42% of working-class respondents currently out of work, compared with 37% from non-working-class backgrounds. Some 44% of disabled workers are unemployed versus 39% of non-disabled workers, while those of non-white ethnicity reported significantly higher rates of unemployment than their white counterparts.

The survey also revealed cultural and wellbeing issues across the industry, with 74% arguing that behaviour that would be unacceptable elsewhere is tolerated in TV, while 61% have witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment in the past year.

Additionally, 87% of TV workers described their work as “insecure,” 72% said it has harmed personal relationships and only 18% said they feel confident about their future in the industry. About a third of respondents, 33%, said they expect to leave the industry within five years.

Following the survey, Bectu is demanding urgent industry and government action to stabilise jobs, improve conditions for freelancers, protect workers against bullying and harassment, and ensure the sector remains a place where diverse talent can thrive.

It is also calling on the sector to commit to long-term financial backing for the recently established Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, noting that a number of “industry heavyweights” have not yet pledged to pay annual fees to support the body.

Bectu head Philippa Childs said: “These findings lay bare the devastating impact of recent industry challenges compounded by years of insecure employment practices and poor conditions across much of the sector.

“And on top of this, many TV workers face entrenched discrimination, bullying and harassment, propped up by huge power imbalances and a lack of independent and robust reporting mechanisms.

“Behind every statistic is a skilled professional who is critical to our world-class TV industry, but is being driven out by unstable work, poor conditions and toxic cultures. Without urgent action from broadcasters, streamers and production companies, we risk losing a generation of talent and further entrenching inequality in the industry.

“This is a wake-up call. The industry must not stand by while the very people who make TV possible are pushed to breaking point.”