Bectu’s Big Survey reveals TV workforce on the brink

New research from Bectu has exposed the scale of the crisis facing UK TV workers.

The Big Bectu Survey 2025 – the largest of its kind – paints a stark picture of a workforce battered by instability, poor conditions and toxic workplace cultures.

Earlier this year, Bectu surveyed 5,597 respondents across the UK creative industries. The union has now released findings based on more than 3,600 responses from people working in television (broadcasting, TV drama, unscripted/factual and commercials).

Nearly half of TV workers surveyed reported being out of work in March, with 45% of drama crew, 46% of unscripted workers and 45% of commercials staff unemployed. The effects of the 2023 US industrial action continue to be felt, with fewer than one in five saying employment levels have returned to pre-strike norms.

Financial insecurity is widespread: 68% of respondents said they are struggling to make ends meet, while one in three is considering leaving the industry within five years.

Our findings also reveal the uneven impact of the industry downturn. Workers from Global Majority backgrounds, disabled freelancers and those from working-class backgrounds all reported higher levels of unemployment than their counterparts, raising concerns that the crisis is driving diversity out of the sector.

The survey also highlights longstanding issues with employment practices and workplace cultures in the creative industries:

• Toxic workplaces – 74% said behaviour that would be unacceptable in other industries is tolerated in TV, and 61% had experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment in the past year.
• Exclusionary hiring – 78% found their last job through personal contacts, perpetuating barriers to entry.
• Racial discrimination – 60% of Global Majority workers reported direct experiences of racial abuse or discrimination.
• Mental health struggles – Nearly one in five said they are “really struggling” with their wellbeing, rising to almost a quarter in unscripted TV. Two-thirds reported feeling anxious or depressed in the past year.

Job insecurity is taking a personal toll, with 72% saying work pressures have harmed their personal relationships. Only 18% of respondents felt confident about their future in the industry.

Head of Bectu Philippa Childs 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 urging government and industry leaders to act swiftly to stabilise employment, improve protections for freelancers, tackle bullying and harassment, and commit to supporting the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA).

Read our briefing on TV workers. You can also download our wider screen industries briefing for more info.