Charles Dance, 78: BBC ‘Running Scared’ Amid Scandals, Yet Few Watch

Charles Dance has claimed the BBC is in a ‘parlous state’ with bosses ‘running scared’ amid the corporation’s numerous scandals.

The Game Of Thrones actor, 78, who has appeared in numerous BBC shows including Bleak House and The Little Drummer Girl, said amid its growing competition from streaming services the majority viewers ‘very rarely’ publicly funded, which he branded a ‘real shame’.

In recent months Masterchef hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode were axed over inappropriate behaviour and racist language, while scandal plagued Strictly Come Dancing has been hit with claims of sexual misconduct, bullying and accusations of drug use. 

BBC Director-General Tim Davie admitted ‘we may see more things coming out’ after he was asked for assurance there won’t be another ‘scandal of BBC talent abusing their position’. 

Actor Charles told The Telegraph: ‘[The BBC] is in a parlous state. At the slightest whiff of scandal or misspeak, they think, ‘Oh no, we are going to lose the licence fee.’ It’s running scared.’

‘Obviously we still need public service broadcasting, but we also need an alternative funding method that isn’t dependent on advertising. The problem the BBC now has is that I’d say the majority of people very rarely watch it. It’s a great shame’.

Elsewhere in the interview Charles, who played a henchman in 1981’s For Yours Eye Only, revealed he turned down the chance to screen test for James Bond over his agent’s fears the role would get him typecast. 

He said: ‘And she may have been right, although I also wasn’t ready for Bond. I had the confidence but not the experience, I would have f—-d it up.’

It comes after the director-general  admitted to MPs at the committee this week that he cannot guarantee an end to controversies involving BBC stars during a grilling following a number of high-profile scandals.

He said he could not give a ‘categorical assurance’ that there will be no further more unsavoury elements to be weeded out.

Big stars including shamed Newsreader Huw Edwards have been forced out in recent years – and the broadcaster is also weathering storms over perceived bias and antisemitism.

He said he would not offer a ‘running commentary’ on any developing scandals within the broadcaster, but Mr Davie – who thundered that he did not recognise the term ‘talent’ – said that ‘we may see more things coming out’ in the future.

But, denying that the BBC had a ‘toxic culture’, he suggested that the fact that figures such as Wallace were being called out was proof that there was ‘positive change’ happening to weed out problematic stars.

He also ducked questions at the start of the meeting on whether he would consider his position following the summer of scandals, but admitted he had been ‘feeling the pressure’.

It comes following reports that Gregg issuing the BBC over his firing from MasterChef.

The former presenter, 60, is said to have lodged his lawsuit at London’s High Court and has vowed he will ‘not go quietly’. 

Gregg was sacked following a series of misconduct allegations relating to his time on the series. 

The host is now seeking the release of hundreds of pages of secrets documents which he believes will help clear his name and earn back millions in lost earnings. 

It is also claimed his lawsuit could pave the way for Gregg to launch a multi-million pound disability claim against the BBC. 

A source told The Sun: ‘Things could go nuclear. Gregg previously applied to see all the paperwork concerning him but was blocked by the BBC.

‘This is why he’s had to go legal. This is the first, major step towards Gregg taking serious action.

‘Gregg’s team believe that once they have the correspondence in front of them their case – and next steps – will become clear. For the BBC, it’s an HR nightmare waiting to happen.’

The insider also said Gregg is preparing to launch a disability claim which would likely focus on his autism with which he was diagnosed in January.

He previously said nothing was done to investigate his ‘neurodiversity’ while he was working on MasterChef. 

‘My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef,’ he said in a statement. 

‘Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years. That failure is now being quietly buried.’

A BBC spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘We have not been formally notified of any legal proceedings so at this stage we are unable to comment.’

The Daily Mail has also contacted representatives of Gregg Wallace for comment. 

It comes after BBC Director-General Tim Davie admitted ‘we may see more things coming out’ after he was asked for assurance there won’t be another ‘scandal of BBC talent abusing their position’.

Australian-born chef John Torode also lost his job on the show after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word. 

Gregg stepped down from the hit BBC cooking show after complaints were made about his behaviour and 45 of those 83 complaints were upheld following a report into his conduct. In total, 41 people complained. 

The review concluded that the ‘majority of the substantiated allegations against Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour’.

It added that ‘a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated’, with ‘one incident of unwelcome physical contact’ also substantiated.

The former Eat Well for Less? presenter told The Sun that while he didn’t deny being guilty of some of the claims, he believed things had been ‘perceived incorrectly’.

Gregg claimed that he had worked with around 4,000 people, meaning that just 0.5 per cent of those he has worked with ‘found fault with me’.

He said his actions were the result of learned behaviour and workplace culture and claimed that his recent autism diagnosis also played a role.

‘I know I am odd. I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a disability, a registered disability,’ he said.

Gregg has previously said he felt the BBC failed to provide enough support for his condition during his 20 years working on MasterChef.

‘My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef,’ he said.

‘Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years.’