My Family suffers budget cut
My Family. Image shows from L to R: Janey Harper (Daniela Denby-Ashe), Susan Harper (Zoë Wanamaker), Michael Harper (Gabriel Thomson), Ben Harper (Robert Lindsay), Abi Harper (Siobhan Hayes), Roger Bailey Jr. (Keiron Self). Copyright: DLT Entertainment Ltd. / Rude Boy Productions
BBC1 has cut the budget for Series 10 and 11 of My Family by 15%. The BBC initially ordered a 10% pay cut for actors Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wannamaker, who are believed to presently be the highest paid British comedy actors, but production company DLT Entertainment negotiated a less severe cut.
"The BBC proposals put the show at risk for a while," said Donald Taffner Jr, president of DLT and executive producer of My Family.
To reduce costs, the two new series are being made back-to-back. Filming is already underway at Pinewood Studios.