![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Mastermind-1024x538.jpg\")
Celebrity Mastermind host Clive Myrie (Credit: BBC)<\/p>\n Celebrity Mastermind host Clive Myrie (Credit: BBC)<\/p>\n
The BBC is still perceived to be \u201cskewed towards the middle class\u201d and \u201cLondon-centric\u201d, according to a report.<\/p>\n
The corporation must improve the way it connects with working-class audiences and those based outside the capital and the south of England, according to an independent review of portrayal and representation in BBC content, commissioned by the BBC board.<\/p>\n
The report, by former Bafta chairwoman Anne Morrison, and independent media consultant Chris Banatvala, found that perceptions of the BBC are often lower with working-class audiences and those outside London and the south and those groups are less likely to be satisfied with how they are represented and portrayed.<\/p>\n
The power in the organisation still lies in the UK capital and more key decision makers should be located outside London, it said.<\/p>\n
The review said: \u201cOur audience research found that the perception of the BBC remains that it is skewed towards the middle class and is London-centric \u2013 and that the power in the organisation still lies in the UK capital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found that this has consequences for portrayal and representation.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenuine production, rooted in the location, made by people who understand it in depth was described to us as fundamental to on-air authenticity. We agree.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe key decision makers, who ultimately choose the stories to be told across the whole of the UK, must understand the audience and what will appeal to them \u2013 whoever and wherever they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe the BBC should take the lead in devising a new set of diversity characteristics specifically for measuring portrayal and representation which would include class and geography.\u201d<\/p>\n
It continued: \u201cWe think that more senior editorial staff, including TV genre commissioners, should be located outside London.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that the BBC would represent and portray the whole of the UK more successfully if at least half of the BBC\u2019s senior TV genre commissioners lived and worked closer to those communities across the nations and regions who are currently more disengaged from its content, appointing where possible those who are rooted in the location, not commuting to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe genres which bear most strongly on UK portrayal and representation and have the greatest impacts for audiences would be the most appropriate to move to these locations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also believe that network radio not based in Salford should move elements of its commissioning out of London over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The review also noted that, while there has been some improvement, there are still more men than women featured in BBC news, nations and factual programming, and this is particularly prevalent with older people.<\/p>\n
The report said: \u201cWe would like to see a renewed effort to achieve gender balance in content for contributors and reporters in news and factual programmes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, we found that male presenters significantly outnumber female presenters in the older age groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe BBC has not been making full use of the data it holds to keep track of this issue. We believe that women on air ought to be able to have as long a career at the BBC as their male counterpart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Responding to the review, BBC chairman Samir Shah said: \u201cIt is vital the BBC authentically reflects the lives of all the communities, classes and cultures across the UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cDecision-making must happen closer to audiences if we want to ensure that everyone feels represented and that the BBC remains an engine for growth within the creative industries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe board welcomes the challenge set out in the report and the actions the BBC Executive want to take in response.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BBC Executive has committed to strengthening how the BBC measures the ways in which different audiences are portrayed and represented in its output.<\/p>\n
It will also systematically review upcoming content plans to ensure underrepresented audience groups are reflected authentically and use existing and new data to ensure social background, age and geographical representation also help inform the development of on-screen and on-air roles.<\/p>\n
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