QI producer slams BBC. The producer of BBC comedy hits such as Blackadder, Not The Nine O'Clock News and QI has hit out at the corporation, accusing it of making "bland" programmes.Writing in the Radio Times, John Lloyd said "sauciness" was no longer allowed before 21:00, especially not on BBC1.

Lloyd, who was made a CBE in the New Year honours list, added that a culture of form-filling has resulted in uninteresting programmes.

He went on to question whether comedy classics such as The Two Ronnies would have made it onto the nation's screens in the current environment.

"The commissioning, legal, compliance and editorial policy police hover over the scripts and the recordings, alert to the merest potential offence," he said.

"There are blanket proscriptions, passed down from on high, which reduce everything to a bland vichyssoise that suits comedy programmes not at all. Heaven knows what they would have done to The Two Ronnies."

Lloyd welcomed the fact that QI is moving back to its former home on BBC2 after three years on BBC1, saying it "can be itself again".

Source: uknetguide