Last week The BBC Trust finally announced that they were going to move BBC Three to an online only channel. Whilst I understand why they made the decision to try and save money and move with the times, I feel like they are making a huge mistake.
BBC three did of course have a tendency to put some absolute crap out on the air - 'Coming of Age' and 'Freaky Eaters' come to mind immediately. However it also had the tendency to produce some of the most fantastic and original comedies and dramas. 'Nighty Night', 'Him and Her', 'Being Human', 'The Fades', 'The Smoking Room', 'The Mighty Boosh', 'Mongrels', 'In The Flesh' and my personal favourite the weird and wonderful 'Ideal' were all critically acclaimed cult classics for the Beeb. The channel didn't only deal in cult success but had some absolutely huge hits as-well, 'Gavin and Stacey' and 'Little Britain' being probably the biggest.
The fact that it was aimed at a younger audience did mean that it was ripe for a slating from middle aged hacks who want the BBC to making constant reinventions of 'Some Mother Do Have Em,' The channels willingness to gamble on unproven and upcoming talent meant that it was often making the most interesting and thought provoking shows across the whole network.
The argument back will of course be that BBC Three going online will of course not stop it producing these types of programmes. However the online audience is never going to be as big as the television numbers and will stop any chance of a viewer randomly stumbling across a little gem as I have so many times.
What this decision shows is that the BBC is no longer willing to take the risks that it used to. The constant threats from the government and the stories that have been in the press over the last few years have made the channel recoil into its shell. It does make me worry that the only new comedies we will be getting are things like Miranda and Mrs Browns Boys, which are funny in their own right and certainly have an audience but are not exactly the most innovative.
So long BBC Three I will miss you.