Sky TV controller blasts 'pathetic' BBC over money jibes: 'It's s***'

Sky director Stuart Murphy hit out at the BBC during his Meet The Controller session at the Edinburgh TV Festival today, describing its accusations that he buys talent as "s**t".

Murphy said that the fact the BBC left scripts "lying on a desk for a year and a half" was the real reason it lost big name stars to its rival.



"When the chairman of the BBC and the DG say talent only goes to Sky for the money, I thought that was so pathetic," he said.

"You think well paid talent will come to Sky for an extra five grand an episode?

"It's not because of relationships I have in the industry, forgetting the fact I commissioned Gavin & Stacey, forgetting the fact I'm very close to people like Ruth Jones. Not because of Lucy Lumsden working for us.

"No, it's because of money. It's s**t."

Speaking about how he managed to get Ruth Jones to bring Stella to Sky1, he added: "We met at the Ivy. I think she's a genius. She has flair, imagination, risk and creative endeavour.

"I told her I'd love a British Roseanne and she came back with Stella. We went straight to 10 hours of episodes.

"It wasn't because we paid her more money... When the BBC said it, we laughed about it."

Continuing his rant, Murphy added that it was Sky's "clear vision" and "proactive work with talent" that was the real lure, rather than cash.

"Charlie Brooker is a pretty cynical guy. Do you think he'd come to Sky on Touch of Cloth for a bit more money?" he asked.

Watch Digital Spy's interview with Charlie Brooker and John Hannah on A Touch of Cloth below: