'BBC screens humdrum dramas'

The head of Britain's broadcasting standards watchdog today attacked the BBC for relying on "humdrum" police and hospital dramas in its ratings war against commercial TV.

Paul Bolt, director of the Broadcasting Standards Commission, said the BBC was producing too many "formulaic" shows like Holby City and Mersey Beat, ignoring its licencefee obligation to make riskier programmes.

The comments, in an interview in the Financial Times, carry weight because Mr Bolt has been shortlisted for the job of overseeing content at Ofcom, the new communications regulator due to start work next year.

Ofcom will combine the roles of the Independent Television Commission, telecoms regulator Oftel, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Radio Authority and the Radiocommunications Agency.

He warns the BBC will lose support for its licence fee unless it makes programmes that distinguish it from its commercial rivals. He singled out for praise the series Clocking Off and Teletubbies.