The Views of … Stephen Fry

Broadcaster Stephen Fry has criticised British TV saying it is “shocking” how “infantilised” adult programmes have become.

“I’m not saying TV should be pompous and academic, but it should surprise and astonish,” he said.

The QI host said BBC shows Merlin and Doctor Who, were “wonderfully written” but “not for adults”.

The comedian and writer was speaking at the annual Bafta Television Lecture in London.

Fry said: “The only drama the BBC will boast about are Merlin and Doctor Who, which are fine but they’re children’s programmes. They’re not for adults.

“And they’re very good children’s programmes, don’t get me wrong, they’re wonderfully written… but they are not for adults.

“They are like a chicken nugget. Every now and again we all like it. Every now and again.”

He added: “If you are an adult you want something surprising, savoury, sharp, unusual, cosmopolitan, alien, challenging, complex, ambiguous, possibly even slightly disturbing and wrong,” he said.

“You want to try those things, because that’s what being adult means.

“It’s children’s television, it’s entirely infantilised. It’s not grown up.”

Fry praised US TV, which he said provided “surprise and shock and adulthood”.

He also said BBC’s comedy shows such as Gavin and Stacey and Little Britain were “very successful”, also “unbelievably Balkanised”.

“They are set into a particular demographic. This is what I mean by television not being the nation’s fireplace. It’s just all parcelled and I don’t know that there’s a solution to it,” he added.