‘Dreaming Whilst Black’ Co-Creator Says There Is Huge Disparity Between American & British Comedy Budgets

Adjani Salmon, co-creator and star of Dreaming Whilst Black, has said he can earn more writing an American comedy pilot than for two full seasons of a BBC show in the UK.

Salmon made the admission on an RTS London Convention panel, during which a discussion emerged over a perceived lack of British investment in TV comedy from the likes of the BBC.

Salmon’s web series Dreaming Whilst Black was first a BBC Three pilot and then greenlit to full series, becoming one of the BBC’s most critically-rated of recent years and winning BAFTAs. The Big Deal Films show was picked up by A24 and both seasons are available in the U.S. on Paramount+.

Salmon revealed he is now writing a pilot in the States that “might not come to anything, but that singular check is more than two seasons of a BBC show,” he said.

“By that metric financially, why should I make British TV going forward?,” he questioned. “Which is a shame because I love it. Being in development in two countries gives that creative freedom.”

Salmon said young people making content on platforms like TikTok are making £3,000 ($4,000) to £4,000 per month and won’t be interested in creating shows for traditional players like the BBC if budgets remain low.

“Largely mediocre people”

Jon Thoday, the co-founder of UK agency-producer Avalon, was critical of a lack of British investment in comedy and branded some industry execs “largely mediocre people.”

He said “Americans are investing” in Britain on shows like Prime Video’s Last One Laughing UK and Sky’s Saturday Night Live UK, but Brits are not, “and that needs addressing.”

“Generating revenue for UK PLC is something comedy can do,” he added. “Perhaps people have turned away from it, but comedians will find a way through it anyway.”

He said UK comedy used to allow comedians to fail and make a “creative mess,” but this has largely died out and comedians are choosing YouTube instead.

Going in harder, he added: “The decision makers have a large number of people in between them and the producers, and the people in between are largely mediocre people who don’t really know anything other than how to manage internal politics.”

Salmon and Thoday were speaking on a panel at RTS London after talent like Jeremy Clarkson and Steven Knight.