End of a TV era: Ben Frow is leaving 5 after 14 years. One of the great characters of the industry. Full scoop here. deadline.com/2026/10/ben-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialJake Kanter
@jakekanter.bsky.social
Investigations for Deadline. Former The Times media correspondent. Email: [email protected]
@jakekanter.bsky.social@jakekanter.bsky.socialIt's worth noting that Royal Mail and Eleven Labs, the AI audio giant whose tech generated the voiceover, deny that it was a Paul Vaughan voice clone. Audio experts say there's “considerable phonetic similarity” between the Royal Mail AI narrator and Vaughan. Decide for yourself.
@jakekanter.bsky.socialRevealed: Royal Mail used an AI voiceover in a Christmas ad about human connection. We only know this because a startled viewer thought she heard the voice of her dead Dad: Paul Vaughan, the mellifluous BBC host and Paddington narrator. A cautionary tale. deadline.com/2026/10/paul...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialMatt Brittin told employees today that he wants the BBC to “be more Elvis,” by which he meant: “A little less conversation, a little more action.” Welcome to the Silicon Valley-isation of the BBC. deadline.com/2026/10/bbc-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialSome intriguing stuff on Doctor Who's future. The BBC has put the show out to tender and bidders are emerging. Could Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio take control of the TARDIS? Might the show head to Scotland? Or is the whole thing a fool's errand? deadline.com/2026/10/doct...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialWe've reached the stage of BBC cuts where BBC staff are now defiantly posting laughing emojis during management calls about job losses. deadline.com/2026/10/bbc-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialI hear you, but I work for a US-based title, so it's kind of ingrained in me - sorry
@jakekanter.bsky.socialI *think* it was just pipped by the finale of the civilian season, which got 9.4m.
@jakekanter.bsky.socialWow, massive start for #CelebrityTraitors. Season 2 premiere was watched by 8.9m viewers on the BBC, nearly 3m up from last year. A record season premiere rating for the show.
@jakekanter.bsky.socialThe recruitment process for the biggest job in British journalism is in its final stages. BBC interviewing four shortlisted candidates this week, from what I'm told. deadline.com/2026/10/bbc-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialHaha. I *think* that's a compliment. I will take it as such!
@jakekanter.bsky.socialHearing this could be a little later than next week now. But whatever happens, service closures are in the post. Matt Brittin's comments on Kuenssberg only support this. bsky.app/profile/jake...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialBBC cuts latest: 151 employees taking voluntary redundancy in BBC Media Tech, the unit that helps power online services including iPlayer and BBC Sounds. Will save £14.5m. deadline.com/2026/09/bbc-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialNew: The BBC is expected to announce the closure of TV and radio services early next week. Speculation is rife that BBC Three is at risk of being unplugged for a second time in a decade. Nothing is confirmed at this stage. deadline.com/2026/09/bbc-...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialThe state of this. A 14-year-old story, reheated to look like breaking news and embellished with gory detail, spat out across Reach's national and local news sites and aggregated into AOL feeds. There are still ways of funding journalism. This should not be one of them.
@jakekanter.bsky.socialThis chapter in @scottygb.bsky.social's book is one of the most extraordinary and wonderful tales from the TV vaults I've ever read. It's well worth your time - as is the whole book! www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialTo all C4 employees: my DMs are open - here and elsewhere. www.jakekanter.uk
@jakekanter.bsky.socialI heard an interesting counter argument to Kangaroo recently, which posited that revisionism has disguised that it was all a mess behind the scenes, with little agreement/shithousery about how it would work, and that the block saved face for all involved.
@jakekanter.bsky.socialGrim media news: Channel 4 will cut more than a quarter of its workforce before the end of the year. The 340 redundancies are the biggest round of layoffs in Channel 4's history. deadline.com/2026/09/chan...
@jakekanter.bsky.socialNew: The risk of a mass BBC staff walkout just increased after a new pay offer of 2.1% was rejected by unions. Exclusive details from DG Matt Brittin's latest internal town hall here, including this pretty brutal exchange. deadline.com/2026/09/bbc-...
