Overview

• At the Edinburgh TV Festival, Channel 4’s Louisa Compton called the broadcaster the “proud parent” of Adolescence and accused Netflix of acting like “TV tourists.”
• Netflix UK scripted director Mona Qureshi rejected the characterization, saying the commission came from its local team for British audiences, while co-creator Jack Thorne credited Channel 4’s early support yet welcomed Netflix’s risk-taking.
• UK broadcasters have said the series would have been too expensive without external financing, highlighting cost pressures that push commissioners toward projects with international money.
• World Productions’ Simon Heath warned that pursuing global funding can reshape shows and risk fewer culturally specific UK dramas.
• The dispute revived broader industry arguments, including calls for a streamer levy backed by MPs but rejected by ministers, criticism of Channel 4’s new in-house unit by Pact’s John McVay, and Channel 4’s Ian Katz noting major streamers skipped festival Spotlight Sessions.