Hollywood actor Richard E Grant, soap stars and author Irvine Welsh are among more than 100 famous names who have signed an open letter to save jobs at the soap River City.
The BBC announced plans last month to end the Scottish drama series, which has been on television for 23 years.
A letter from the cast of River City has been co-signed by 117 stars, including comedian Elaine C Smith, Lorraine McIntosh from Deacon Blue, and actors from Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, as well as Dominic Hill, the artistic director of Citizens Theatre.
Star Wars actor, Richard E Grant, and former first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, also added their names, after the announcement on March 18 that production will cease in autumn 2026 which the BBC attributed to “declining audience figures”.
The letter addressed to Scotland’s Culture Secretary, Angus Robertson, warned of a risk that Scottish entertainment workers will have to work in England or abroad, due to the impact of job losses.
The letter read: “For years, River City has provided a window into the diverse and vibrant life of Scotland, telling stories that resonate deeply with our communities.
“Its cancellation feels like part of a troubling trend to centralise media production in London, which could make it harder for Scottish talent to thrive.
“As a result, many might feel forced to leave Scotland to pursue their careers, weakening our local creative industry and diminishing the distinct voices that make Scotland unique.
“While we are happy to see the Scottish based writers and directors that are being commissioned by BBC Scotland, there are only a few writers, mostly male, what will now happen to all the female writers and directors we have worked with on the production?
“In today’s world, representation matters more than ever. It’s vital that Scotland’s stories are told by the people who live here — stories that reflect our true experiences.
“If River City ends, we risk losing visibility for these important narratives, not just within Scotland but across the UK. That would be a real loss for everyone, as the UK thrives on its diversity.”
The letter called on Mr Robertson to provide a “renewed commitment to supporting Scottish talent and storytelling in the near future”.
It added: “We respectfully ask you to reconsider the far-reaching effects of this decision. We need to protect and support Scottish storytelling, ensuring that our creative industries continue to grow.
“The cancellation of River City isn’t just the loss of a TV show – it’s the loss of our culture, our opportunities, and our voices. We simply cannot afford to let our stories be overshadowed by a model that overlooks Scotland’s unique contributions.
“We’re campaigning not only to save our own jobs but to ensure a bright future for all actors, writers, directors, crew, and production staff in Scotland.”
Mr Robertson said: “I am deeply disappointed that the BBC has cancelled River City and agree strongly that the BBC must ensure that there is a model for broadcasting that supports Scotland’s unique contributions and cultural diversity.
“The Scottish Government could not be clearer that we want to see more BBC investment in production in Scotland. It is unsustainable that broadcasting remains reserved to Westminster.
“I agree that the BBC should seek to protect and enhance the network of professionals who contribute to productions in Scotland, like River City. It is vital Scotland’s screen sector can continue to access meaningful career development opportunities, as they have been able to do.
“Ministers expect the BBC to fully and fairly represent all communities in Scotland. I will continue to advocate to ensure Scottish industry and audiences are properly represented on our screens, and Ofcom to ensure the BBC is meeting its obligations in delivering for viewers and Scotland’s creative professionals.”
A BBC Scotland spokesperson said: “The decision to end River City is a creative one driven by changing audience habits and declining viewing figures. Audience patterns have shifted away from long-running serials to short-run dramas so that is where we will be moving our drama investment.
“This is about value for money for the audience. We are not cutting our drama spend in Scotland – in fact, we will increase it to around £95 million over the next three years.
“We are actively working with BBC colleagues, the independent companies making our newly announced dramas and others in the industry on future training opportunities.
“Our new dramas are written by Scottish writers, they will employ a wide range of Scottish-based talent and will be made by producers with bases in Scotland – just like River City.”
