Former Channel 4 drama chief Caroline Hollick expressed strong criticism on Wednesday regarding the cautious executives in the challenging U.K. television landscape, warning that they are risking the progress made in gender equality since the MeToo movement.
“As the industry contracts… everyone is reverting to the known writers with established credentials, whom commissioners feel at ease with. Frankly, there are not many women among them,” Hollick stated during a panel at Rome’s MIA Market.
“This trend is negatively impacting representation across the board. This is how any industry behaves when it finds itself on unstable ground; they fall back on familiarity. I doubt this is beneficial for the industry, nor do I think it’s good for viewers. We must persist in advocating for the stories that truly resonate with us.”
The session in Rome showcased the findings of a recent report by the European Audiovisual Observatory, revealing that between 2019 and 2023, only 27% of professionals in the European drama landscape were women.
These results highlight the persistent challenges in achieving gender parity within the continent’s audiovisual sector. Laura Abril, EVP of scripted and global business development at Buendia Estudios in Spain, remarked, “We’ve made strides, but there’s still a significant distance to cover.”
The panel shed light on the precarious circumstances for women in television as they strive for 50-50 representation. Abril pointed to the sweeping rollback of diversity and inclusion initiatives during the second Trump administration, which faced little challenge in Hollywood, expressing her shock at how quickly companies abandoned such policies.
Hollick, conversely, conveyed her aspirations that “the U.K. and Europe don’t follow this trend” in their endeavors to cultivate a more inclusive workplace in the screen industries. “I worry for individuals in environments where DEI is being dismantled,” she said. “It sends a clear message that their existence and needs are unimportant.”
“Our industry reflects society. It’s evident that society is leaning towards more conservative values, which likely affects our sector as well,” Abril added. “The removal of diversity and inclusion policies by Hollywood studios, and their open admission of this action, speaks volumes.”
Where advancements have occurred, they can be attributed to determined actions taken by decision-makers to foster change. Following an internal report that revealed only 18% of primetime shows were directed by women, German broadcaster ZDF established a program aimed at nurturing female directors. Now, that figure has surged to 42%. “Complaining is not enough,” stated Jasmin Maeda, ZDF’s SVP of international fiction co-production and acquisition. “Action is necessary.”
In Spain, a points-based system linked to its tax incentive scheme now rewards projects featuring female cast and crew, and as a result, women’s representation in the audiovisual sector has climbed to 38%, according to a 2024 report from the Spanish Association of Female Film Directors and Executives. Chiara Cardoso, managing director of the U.K.’s BlackBox Multimedia, cited this as an example of “finding methods to incentivize producers to take that leap.”
Yet, the most compelling argument may simply revolve around reinforcing the need for financial considerations.
“The way to produce better shows—and consequently generate more revenue, folks—is by engaging the most talented individuals,” asserted Hollick. “By excluding 73% of the population, you are forgoing innovative shows that could yield substantial profits.”
MIA Market in Rome runs from October 6 to 10.
Pictured (l. to r.): Claudia Bluemhuber, CEO and partner at Silver Reel; Laura Abril, EVP of scripted and global business development at Buendia Estudios; Caroline Hollick, former head of drama at Channel 4
