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Julie calls for more women’s roles on TV
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent27.02.09
TOP performers led by Julie Walters, Simon Callow, Charles Dance and David Soul are calling for more roles for women on television.
For every two male roles in a drama there is one female, research by Deborah Dean at the University of Warwick Business School has shown.
And the actors' union Equity has now launched a petition calling on television companies to redress the imbalance.
Maxine Peake, a TV regular with a major role in Channel 4's major new drama Red Riding starting next week, said: “I want to see more female-driven dramas about people who have lived.”
Louise Jameson, former Doctor Who sidekick and EastEnders star, added: “It is shocking that in 2009 we are still debating this issue of equal representation and equal pay for equal work.
“Only by unionising, only by putting our collective voices with, for and behind each other will anything move forward. I urge everyone, male and female, to join this campaign for the sake of the craft we are all so in love with.”
The petition says more than half the viewing public is female yet only 35.3 per cent of roles on TV are for women. “Whilst leading parts are frequently played by male actors over 45, women in this age group start to disappear from our screens,” it says.
“The message this sends to viewers is distorted and distorting. We call on all the major UK television channels to take action to correct this imbalance.”
More than 3,000 people have already signed including Penelope Wilton, Imelda Staunton, Harriet Walter, Miriam Margolyes, Tim Pigott-Smith, Roger Lloyd Pack and Lindsay Duncan — who was last night seen as Margaret Thatcher on BBC2.
Non-actor signatories include playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker.
The petition is at http://www.gopetition.com/online/24658.html
Reader views (6)
Footballers Wives left an impression with the viewers, that's for sure..
- Trunk, US
Yeah, let's see more actresses playing spys, spivs, oligarchs, kings, hackers, killers, soldiers, sailors, fighter pilots, rulers, sports people, drug dealers, bank robbers, cowboys, stool pigeons, terrorists, Al Quaeda operatives, whistle blowers, members of beat groups, paedophiles, rapists, kidnappers, suicide bombers, etc., instead of models, wives, mistresses, actresses and WAGs.
- Eric Legge, Ongar, Essex
Equality allows us all to maximise on our potential - which will ultimately benefit all of us. When TV influences our thinking by presenting a distorted view of the world,where there are less women than men,and women are often depicted as less substantial than men, the only intelligent thing to do, is to attempt to influence the distorted thinking of the TV controllers, by giving the facts straight.
- Katebuffery, London
I can't recall ever wanting to watch a TV show because Julie Walters was in it, and I've never heard of the other quotas campaigner.
- Frank, ex-England
Can't women just be happy answering the phones and doing the cleaning at television companies without the need to actually act?
- Keith, Kings Cross
Quotas - must have quotas. Can't survive without quotas. Don't have to think when you have quotas. Don't have to produce the goods when you have quotas.
....don't have to pay attention to quota nazis either.
- Rogan, Irving
