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ITV boss slams BBC for 'spending licence payers' money' on Meghan Markle's Suits

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The head of ITV criticised the BBC for buying the rights to Meghan Markle's US TV show Suits after they complained about cost pressures.

By Jennie Buzaglo, Showbiz Reporter

22:32, Wed, Apr 24, 2024 | UPDATED: 22:36, Wed, Apr 24, 2024

Meghan Markle's Suits character lays law on new employee

The head of ITV has hit out at the BBC for buying Meghan Markle's TV show Suits. Kevin Lygo revealed that the broadcaster "outbid" ITV for the legal drama series, claiming it was not the correct way to use licence fee payer's money.

ITV previously claimed that the BBC were buying expensive US shows to "maximise" younger audience viewing figures. Last year, the commercial broadcaster complained to Ofcom about the BBC's spending on US-made acquisitions, despite their complaints of cost pressures.

Suits aired from 2011 until 2019 and catapulted the Duchess of Sussex to fame. The 42-year-old starred as Rachel Zane for seven years before bidding farewell to the series after meeting Prince Harry.

Speaking at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer Spring conference, as reported by The Telegraph, Mr Lygo, ITV's managing director of media and entertainment, addressed the BBC's apparent cost pressures.

ITV boss Kevin Lygo criticised the BBC for buying Suits (Image: Getty)

He said: "We hear the BBC bleating about it [lower budgets] and they have all the money in the world. Why do they buy all that American stuff? I have had a go at so many different BBC people about this."

Mr Lygo added: "They just bought Suits, you know the thing with Meghan Markle in. You think why? They outbid us. What's that got to do with licence fee payers money?"

Speaking to the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, ITV previously said that the BBC: "Should not be permitted to acquire content that is already made (or a format that already exists in another territory) where another commercial rival is prepared to purchase that content or format.

"In other words, the BBC should be the buyer of last resort for pre-existing content or formats in the UK market."

Meghan Markle starred as Rachel Zane on Suits (Image: Ian Watson/USA Network/Getty Images)

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The BBC has not revealed how much it paid for Suits, but branded it "smart and stylish" and "star-studded". The series, which was first broadcast on USA Network, will be available on BBC iPlayer and one of its channels.

A BBC spokesperson said: "Our spend on acquisitions remains very small when compared to our overall budget, where we are the largest producer of originated programmes in the UK.

"We spend less than five percent of our annual content budget on acquired programmes, far less compared with other broadcasters." It comes after Mr Lygo admitted Mr Bates vs The Post Office lost £1 million, despite becoming one of ITV's most successful shows of the year.

"It cost more to make than we have been able to sell it around the world," he said. "We made a loss of something like £1 million. If you're in Lithuania, four hours on the British Post Office? Not really."

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