New research from Bectu reveals a that nearly half the workforce is out of work, with thousands struggling to pay bills and a third considering leaving the industry altogether.
The union today releases findings from the UK’s largest-ever survey of behind-the-scenes creative workers, with data from more than 3,600 people working in TV drama, unscripted and factual television, broadcasting, and commercials.
The survey reveals the toll on workers of a particularly turbulent period for the industry, including the ongoing impacts of the 2023 US industrial action and the commissioning slowdown:
Almost half out of work – 45% of TV drama workers, 46% in unscripted, and 45% in commercials reported being unemployed in March 2025.
Slow recovery post-US strikes – Fewer than one in five say employment has returned to pre-2023 strike levels.
Financial struggles widespread – 68% of TV workers say they are struggling to make ends meet.
Bectu warns that the crisis is hitting under-represented groups hardest, driving diversity out of the workforce.
42% of working-class respondents are currently out of work, compared with 37% from non-working-class backgrounds.
Disabled workers (44%) are more likely to be unemployed than non-disabled colleagues (39%).
Toxic workplaces – 74% say behaviour that would be unacceptable elsewhere is tolerated in TV; 61% have witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment in the past year.
Exclusionary hiring – Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) found their last job through personal contacts, reinforcing barriers to entry and accountability.
Racial discrimination – 60% of Global Majority workers reported direct experiences of racial abuse or discrimination.
Mental health c – 18% say they are “really struggling” with their wellbeing, rising to 24% in unscripted TV. Two-thirds (68%) in unscripted reported feeling anxious or depressed in the past year.
The survey also highlights deeply ingrained cultural and wellbeing issues across the industry. Workers from Global Majority backgrounds reported significantly higher rates of unemployment than white counterparts.
On top of these challenges, precarious work is undermining the industry’s future. Almost 9 in 10 (87%) TV workers describe their work as insecure, 72% say it has harmed personal relationships, and only 18% feel confident about their future in the industry. Alarmingly, a third (33%) say they expect to leave the industry within five years.
Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu, said: “These findings lay bare the devastating impact of recent industry challenges compounded by years of insecure employment practices and poor conditions across much of the sector.
“And on top of this, many TV workers face entrenched discrimination, bullying and harassment, propped up by huge power imbalances and a lack of independent and robust reporting mechanisms.
“Behind every statistic is a skilled professional who is critical to our world-class TV industry, but is being driven out by unstable work, poor conditions and toxic cultures. Without urgent action from broadcasters, streamers and production companies, we risk losing a generation of talent and further entrenching inequality in the industry.
“This is a wake-up call. The industry must not stand by while the very people who make TV possible are pushed to breaking point.”
Bectu is demanding urgent industry and government action to stabilise jobs, improve conditions for freelancers, protect workers against bullying and harassment, and ensure the sector remains a place where diverse talent can thrive.
It is also calling on the sector to commit to long-term financial backing for the recently established Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), with a number of industry heavyweights not having yet pledged to pay annual fees to support the body.
Between February and March 2025, Bectu surveyed 5,597 respondents across the UK creative industries, with 3,621 working in television (broadcasting, TV drama, unscripted/factual and commercials). Read more in our briefing: Big Bectu Survey 2025 briefing_TV workers.
Bectu is the UK’s union for the creative industries, representing nearly 40,000 staff, contract and freelance workers
Pippa Considine
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