BBC Not the Nine O'Clock News legend slams broadcaster and fumes ‘there’s no budget’

One of the writers behind the legndary BBC comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, the groundbreaking comedy sketch show, which launched the careers of some of the UK's biggest comedy stars including Griff Rhys Jones and Rowan Atkinson, has said the BBC could no longer make a show of that ilk because they don't have the money. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk from his home in LA Richard Sparks, who penned Rowan Atkinson's famous schoolmaster sketch amongst other iconic moments, said the corporation no longer have the budgets to create sketch shows like this and have resorted to the panel format instead.

"The problem is there isn't a budget. I was having a drink with John Lloyd, who produced and created Not The Nine O'Clock news. He also went on to do QI and Blackadder and Spitting Image. He's the leading comedy producer of our generation. He says, there's no budget for it. You couldn't do Not The Nine O'Clock News now," he said.

"What they do instead is they put a room full of comedians on a panel show, which is cheap to produce," he reflected before pointing out even that format isn't safe from a cull.

Despite his comedy pedigree Richard revealed John has also fallen foul of the budget constraints within the corporation as his Radio 4 QI spin off has been axed. "The Museum of Curiosity - John's absolutely brilliant radio show...That's been cancelled by the BBC after 17, seasons," he said.

"It couldn't be cheaper (to make). I don't know what prompted them (to drop it) after 17 years, when it was a hit, was a success had its own momentum, and it cost nothing," he reflected. The show saw comedian "curators" try to fill up an imaginary museum with curious objects.

Despite cuts Richard has managed to keep working consistently. He admits the impetus for him is simply to write rather than tying himself to genre or medium and, despite being a natural wit, hasn't restricted himself to comedy.

He wrote episodes of the popular ITV children's show the Famous Five. He also decamped to New Zealand to pen the TV show The Flying Kiwi ("not my title" he insists). He confesses that was one of the most lucrative gigs of his career which helped him secure his mortgage for a London home.

He has also turned his hand to directing, working with comedy star Jack Black, and writing lyrics for Placido Domingo, Vanessa Williams and Eric Idle.

Most recently he has focused on his fantasy novel series with his debut offering New Rock New Role released to huge acclaim in 2023. The second book in the series New Rock New Realm is out now and the third book is on the way. Alongide penning the novels Richard revealed he is also working on the screenplay of the first book, although he has no deatils on it's release date as of yet.

"When I had the idea for this series, it waslike the great revelation of my lifetime, and I just realised I've got a whole universe of my own. I can go anywhere and do anything. And after four books which I've now written, I'm thinking: 'Well, there is a whole universe out there. I can go anywhere and do anything'. I'd love to write 50 more books like this, but am I going to do it?" he ponders.

Richard Sparks' fantasy novels New Rock New Role and New Rock New Realm are available on his website.