EXPOSED: The BBC ‘Fawlty Towers’ Scandal

Laughlines Ltd escalates the regulatory failures of Ofcom to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 

Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is the Minister responsible for this policy area.

Those in public office, particularly government ministers, need to be aware how the regulator conducts itself in public affairs. Ofcom refuses to answer regulatory questions and this does not accord with honest practice in public office and is not acceptable in terms of public transparency. 

We draw the public's attention to Ofcom’s regulatory responsibilities and the agreement between the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport and the BBC;

Ofcom’s Regulation of BBC Commercial Activities under the Agreement

(a)   Regulation of the BBC’s compliance with non-service activities

(b)   Regulation of the BBC’s compliance with commercial activities

(c)    Transparency

There is not much evidence that the BBC is performing a public service role or that Ofcom is regulating the BBC.

Laughlines Ltd has written to Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Culture, Digital and Sport (DCMS) to complain that Ofcom is failing its regulatory and statutory duties by failing to hold the BBC to account for anti-competitive and discriminatory activities which breach the Secretary of States agreement with the BBC.

The BBC is discriminating and is infringing the civil rights of British nationals by discretely offering and providing unequal opportunities which are advantageous for the employment of the Australian performer who is not a British national and is offering themed dining entertainment services to the UK.

Laughlines Ltd complained to the DCMS that Ofcom is in breach of Ofcom’s statutory and regulatory commitments to equality, fair trading and competition.

In 2004, the BBC commercial agency sent a letter to the British founder/performer, Michael Green acknowledging the British 'Fawlty Towers' tribute, which became well-established in the UK long before the Australian began performing her show in the UK in 2008. The British act, which became extremely popular and employed a significant number of British actors, was created by its founder Michael Green and is a family run business.

In 2014, the BBC announced that a licence was required for the advertising of the British tribute act at UK venues using the BBC ‘Fawlty Towers’ brand. The BBC informed the British performer that a licence was not available for him, causing his British leading tribute show to be withdrawn from the UK dining market.

In 2018, the BBC admitted there is no separation between the BBC's business and BBC's public service duties and revealed the internal business area had instructed the BBC public service to write to the British act.  Despite the British act raising concerns that the Australian act would now dominate the British market and have no fair competition the BBC would not review its new licence policy.

This a regulatory and legislative issue.

The BBC has been supplying ‘Fawlty Towers’ brand merchandise through its commercial subsidiary (Worldwide/Studios) for the benefit of the Australian performers show. The Australian act does not advertise any licence permissions to the British licence fee paying public.

The BBC has seriously breached its commitments to impartiality, equality and competition. The Australian tribute act now dominates the UK dining market at venues using the BBC ‘Fawlty Towers’ brand. The turnover of this show within the United Kingdom between 2015 and 2018 is given as being in excess of £5m. 

Ofcom will not comment.

The Government has provided Ofcom with the necessary resources to regulate the BBC and to address the evidence of the BBC’s infringement activities submitted by the British act and to address the BBC’s commercial, equality and competition obligations under the Ofcom regulatory Framework.

We would be grateful for your support by signing our petition to urge Government to recognise the public expect Ofcom to regulate the BBC.

Thank you in anticipation for your support.

You can read more about the BBC scandal here Unity News Article

You can watch our interview with David Clewes at Unity News;

David Clewes Interview

Laughlines Ltd shows can be found at:https://laughlines.net/

The Australian performers show can be found at: https://www.torquaysuitetheatre.com/