It was announced yesterday that hundreds of stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Olivia Coleman and Aidan Turner have signed a letter calling for the plans to move BBC Three online to be shelved.

When the plans were first proposed last year there was a huge outcry, with thousands of people signing a petition to save the channel. I was one of those people.

BBC Three is arguably one of the most important channels on TV as it has become a place where new talent and innovative ideas are given a chance to flourish and as such it has produced some incredible television since it first launched in 2003.

Gavin and Stacey’s first series aired on BBC Three before the show moved to other BBC channels having become an instant hit, as did the Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood.

Being Human, the supernatural drama about a vampire, a werewolf and ghost sharing a flat aired on the channel for several series and proved to be so popular with audiences that it has since been remade in America.

With a strong mix of comedy, drama, documentary and sport the channel manages to draw in a weekly audience of over nine million people. Without BBC Three there would be no Russell Howard’s Good News, Bluestone 42 or Reggie Yate’s Extreme Russia.

One quote taken from the star’s letter to the BBC states

“Either the BBC can continue to cater predominantly for an increasingly elderly audience or it can take the lead and safeguard its position as a beloved and relevant public broadcaster by investing in the talent and the audiences who are the building blocks of the future.”

The young are just as important as the old and shouldn’t be overlooked. I am a great believer in the value of the BBC, but in this case I think they need to re-consider their position.

SAVE BBC THREE!

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