Kudos boss Stephen Garrett interviewed

For Media Guardian, Maggie Brown talks to Stephen Garrett, executive chairman of the independent television producer, Kudos.

Garrett's fears are for UK-based dramas that are suffering from the BBC squeeze on costs and find it difficult to attract international funding. When Kudos made the first series of Spooks, the difference between the fee paid by the BBC for it (known as the tariff) and its production costs was about 3%-5%. That shortfall could be made up by DVD sales, repeat fees and some overseas sales. He says the fee the BBC now pays for the series is less than it was in 2001 and so, with increased production costs, the funding gap has widened.