Steven Knight has said the BBC should sell television licences in the United States to Americans who want access to what he described as “unbiased news”.
Speaking at the Royal Television Society London Convention, Knight, the 67-year-old creator of Peaky Blinders, called the BBC “Britain’s best brand” and praised its funding model and international reputation.
“I would sell BBC television licences in the States, definitely,” he said. “If they want to watch iPlayer and they want to watch BBC: buy a licence.”
He added: “Anybody in America who wants to get unbiased news, for example: get a BBC licence.”
Knight said the BBC produces “the most incredible stuff” and argued that it should make fuller use of its potential. He also said the broadcaster had played an important role during the Second World War.
The BBC has been contacted for comment.
Knight wrote and directed the films Locke, Hummingbird and Serenity, and was one of the creators of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? He is also due to write the script for the next James Bond film, which continues to attract speculation over who will play the next spy following Amazon MGM Studios’ assumption of creative control.
