BBC show Bring the Drama hosted by Bill Bailey axed after just one season

Strictly Come Dancing winner Bill Bailey has (at the time of writing) not commented on the reports that BBC show Bring the Drama will be axed after just one season. A BBC spokesperson revealed to The Sun that “There are no current plans for another series of Bring the Drama on the BBC.”

The aspiring actors in the show were given the opportunity to work on shows such as Peaky Blinders, Silent Witness and EastEnders and were mentored by casting director Kelly Valentine Hendry over six weeks. In one of the episodes the wannabe actors competed for a role in Silent Witness. 

In January 2024, it was announced that Bill Bailey would be the host of Bring the Drama. The BBC reported at the time that “In each episode, the aspiring actors are welcomed onto some of the real-life sets from celebrated UK dramas such as Peaky Blinders, EastEnders and Silent Witness and tasked with working together to recreate iconic scenes with the real scripts, real cameras and the real time pressures that professional actors face.”

Bill Bailey commented at the time that “It has been a delight to work on Bring The Drama and witness first-hand how the actors have grown in confidence and skills over the weeks. What I particularly liked was the way it shows the whole process of making TV- being on an actual set with a real crew to help you learn what it's really like. It was great fun but also a brilliant insight into how casting works and a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of some of our most popular tv shows.”

Suzie Klien, Head of Arts TV at the BBC said: “We conceived Bring the Drama to shine  light on the fascinating world of being an actor-to show the expertise and skills needed to succeed and the challenges of breaking into such a fiercely competitive industry.”