ITV staff feel ‘terrified and powerless’ says Roger Bolton

ITV staff are reluctant to complain about bullying by management and presenters because they are “terrified and powerless”, according to the TV producer and media commentator Roger Bolton.

He told GB News: “What we’re talking about here is a total imbalance of power. They should be asking themselves the fundamental question, since so many people knew, why did none of these young people who are working on these programmes have the confidence to complain and to raise the issue?

“They’re not going to complain because they’re too scared to do so.”

In an interview with Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner, he continued: “My view is there are three reasons for that. One is the fantastic power of television personalities now who can make and break shows in a way they couldn’t before.

“The vulnerability of young staff who are in a casualised industry, they have very short term contracts, they work exceptionally long hours, they are terrified of not being able to work.

“The third thing is that you have no trade unions effectively of any sort that they can go to. And you have independent companies for whom they work there for whom they were desperate to keep the commissions with ITV.”

“You’ve got a situation of virtually terrified powerless young people, what you’re talking about here is a total imbalance of power.”

Mr Bolton added: “The starting point is to recognise that there is such an imbalance of power. It is unreasonable to expect young people in these circumstances to say anything, so you’ve got to police the presenters much more closely.

“You’ve got to find ways of enhancing the ability of young people to speak out.”