...Because they insisted on a pilot

The BBC lost the chance to air the revival of Yes, Prime Minister, thanks to management indecision.

Creators Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay approached the Corporation about a comeback for one of its best-loved comedies – but were told they would have to make a pilot episode before anyone would commit to a series.

Lynn fired back that the BBC already had 38 pilots, in the form of back episodes widely available on DVD, and decided to take the show to digital channel Gold instead.

‘They said it was policy,’ Lynn says in an interview with Chortle today. ‘So we said our policy was to not write a pilot for them. I thought it was absolutely extraordinary.’

A BBC spokesman said: 'Yes Prime Minister was last on air 25 years ago so it would not be unusual to ask for a pilot as clearly a lot of the elements, including the cast, would be different.

'[Gold's owner] UKTV was involved in the initiation and development of the project; the BBC decided not to broadcast a new series as it was felt a better use of resources to invest in new comedy, eg Mrs Brown’s Boys and Miranda.'

It is not the first time Lynn and Jay have felt snubbed by the BBC – when the show cleaned up at the Baftas in the Eighties, they were not invited to the awards ceremony.

The new series, which is based on the stage production currently running in the West End, starts on Gold on January 15. The first new episodes in 24 years star David Haig as PM Jim Hacker, Henry Goodman as Sir Humphrey and Chris Larkin as Bernard Woolley.

Meanwhile, the stage play will open in the US this summer.

Click here for our full interview with Jonathan Lynn.

Published: 4 Jan 2013