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”.
The Peaky Blinders creator, 67, made the comments while speaking at the Royal Television Society London Convention, where he praised the BBC as “Britain’s best brand”.
“It’s like Coca-Cola, people all over the world know it,” Knight said.
He also defended the broadcaster’s funding model, describing it as “beautifully old-fashioned” and acknowledging that it was not modern, while arguing that it remained effective.
“It produces the most incredible stuff,” Knight said. “No-one else but BBC would’ve done Peaky.”
Knight said he would support the BBC making its television licences available in the United States for people who wanted to watch its programming through iPlayer or other BBC services.
“I would sell BBC television licences in the States, definitely. If they want to watch iPlayer and they want to watch BBC: buy a licence,” he said.
“Anybody in America who wants to get unbiased news, for example: get a BBC licence.”
His remarks presented the BBC’s international reputation and programming as assets that could support a wider commercial and global role. Knight said he believed there had been resistance to allowing the broadcaster to become what it could be.
“I always think there has always been sort of resistance to allowing the BBC to be what it could become,” he said. “I think it should do that. It should use all of it.”
The BBC has been contacted for comment.
Knight is an ardent supporter of the national broadcaster. Alongside creating Peaky Blinders, he wrote and directed the films Locke, Hummingbird and Serenity. He was also one of the creators of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Knight is also set to write the script for the next James Bond film. The project continues to attract speculation about who will play the next spy, particularly following Amazon MGM Studios’ assumption of creative control over the franchise.
