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04-08-2010, 01:36
ASHES To Ashes star Philip Glenister proved the spirit of DCI Gene Hunt is alive and well - by blasting the BBC and ITV for acting like "nannies" and stifling drama.
Glenister, 47 - who made the craggy no-nonsense cop a household name - said a host of interfering executives were spoiling shows.
And in true Hunt style, he also took a pop at his OWN performance in axed ITV1 Saturday night drama Demons.
Axed ... short-lived ITV1 show Demons
Glenister - who stars alongside Max Beesley in new Sky1 series Mad Dogs - said: "The problem with the BBC and ITV is that there are so many levels of people coming in and telling you how to do things.
"There's too many generals who don't leave you to get on with it.
"Sometimes there's a nanny thing going on - it's something they need to have a look at.
"It's about self-censorship as well. We're big enough to know when we've pushed the boundaries too far."
Glenister, who also played Hunt on Ashes To Ashes predecessor Life On Mars, claimed the Beeb was stretching itself too thin, and should concentrate on making fewer, better dramas.
He said: "There needs to be investment in quality dramas. Rather than make 20, make five good ones."
He insisted telly was the only industry where the budgets of successful shows are CUT.
He said: "This is the only profession that I can think of that you get penalised for being successful.
"If you're a heart surgeon and you perform an operation and save someone's life they don't say, 'great, we're now going to cut your surgery time'.
Freedom
"I don't understand why we do this in drama. I mean, our budget was slashed for the final series of Ashes. I was like, 'we're not going to come back to you for more money, this is the last one'."
Glenister said many stars were flocking to Sky because they are allowed more creative freedom.
Big names in the channel's autumn schedule include Victoria Wood, Catherine Tate, David Morrissey, Natascha McElhone, Kathy Burke and Ricky Gervais.
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Also in Sky 1's autumn programme is Glenister's Mad Dogs, a four-part drama about the reunion of a group of forty-somethings.
It also stars Glenister's Life on Mars co-star John Simm.
Glenister said the Beeb did too little to defend its big names - but he is still a big supporter.
He went on: "I am a big fan. I am a great believer in public service broadcasting."
However he is not a fan of reality TV, singling out The X Factor for a special lashing.
He said: "It should be about the acts as opposed to the judges. The X Factor is all about the *******ing judges.
"I maintain that these reality shows are cheap, that's why they keep making them.
"All the money just goes to certain people."
Glenister then turned his guns on HIMSELF over Demons, in which he was slagged off for his dodgy American accent.
The star, who played "vampire smiter" Rupert Galvin, said: "I had problems, but they were partly self-inflicted.
"I was playing an American character, but I had just finished Life On Mars and was about to start Ashes and I was still in the middle of playing Gene Hunt.
"It was just too soon to make that much of a transition."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3080463/Ashes-To-Ashes-star-Philip-Glenister-blasts-BBC-and-ITV-for-stifling-drama.html#ixzz0vap88lXL
Glenister, 47 - who made the craggy no-nonsense cop a household name - said a host of interfering executives were spoiling shows.
And in true Hunt style, he also took a pop at his OWN performance in axed ITV1 Saturday night drama Demons.
Axed ... short-lived ITV1 show Demons
Glenister - who stars alongside Max Beesley in new Sky1 series Mad Dogs - said: "The problem with the BBC and ITV is that there are so many levels of people coming in and telling you how to do things.
"There's too many generals who don't leave you to get on with it.
"Sometimes there's a nanny thing going on - it's something they need to have a look at.
"It's about self-censorship as well. We're big enough to know when we've pushed the boundaries too far."
Glenister, who also played Hunt on Ashes To Ashes predecessor Life On Mars, claimed the Beeb was stretching itself too thin, and should concentrate on making fewer, better dramas.
He said: "There needs to be investment in quality dramas. Rather than make 20, make five good ones."
He insisted telly was the only industry where the budgets of successful shows are CUT.
He said: "This is the only profession that I can think of that you get penalised for being successful.
"If you're a heart surgeon and you perform an operation and save someone's life they don't say, 'great, we're now going to cut your surgery time'.
Freedom
"I don't understand why we do this in drama. I mean, our budget was slashed for the final series of Ashes. I was like, 'we're not going to come back to you for more money, this is the last one'."
Glenister said many stars were flocking to Sky because they are allowed more creative freedom.
Big names in the channel's autumn schedule include Victoria Wood, Catherine Tate, David Morrissey, Natascha McElhone, Kathy Burke and Ricky Gervais.
Advertisement
Also in Sky 1's autumn programme is Glenister's Mad Dogs, a four-part drama about the reunion of a group of forty-somethings.
It also stars Glenister's Life on Mars co-star John Simm.
Glenister said the Beeb did too little to defend its big names - but he is still a big supporter.
He went on: "I am a big fan. I am a great believer in public service broadcasting."
However he is not a fan of reality TV, singling out The X Factor for a special lashing.
He said: "It should be about the acts as opposed to the judges. The X Factor is all about the *******ing judges.
"I maintain that these reality shows are cheap, that's why they keep making them.
"All the money just goes to certain people."
Glenister then turned his guns on HIMSELF over Demons, in which he was slagged off for his dodgy American accent.
The star, who played "vampire smiter" Rupert Galvin, said: "I had problems, but they were partly self-inflicted.
"I was playing an American character, but I had just finished Life On Mars and was about to start Ashes and I was still in the middle of playing Gene Hunt.
"It was just too soon to make that much of a transition."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3080463/Ashes-To-Ashes-star-Philip-Glenister-blasts-BBC-and-ITV-for-stifling-drama.html#ixzz0vap88lXL