Money and sitcoms

Has anyone any idea how much a writer gets paid for each episode of a UK sitcom?

I'm not sure if it would go on the episode unless they have individual writers for individual episodes. but overall it's probably paid on a completed series I would imagine.

All right, about how much would the writer get for a series of six, if you'd rather I put it that way?

Get in touch with the writers guild, I think there website has upto date figures.

But this is the kind of question that usually indicates maybe you lack a certain degree of experience.

Well, quite - if I knew, I wouldn't be asking...thanks for the links.

I think the BBC minimum is about £10k a screen hour.

Thanks, Lazzard! I just downloaded the latest BBC/Writers Guild agreement, and it's 40 pages of closely-written legalese...

It'll obviously vary depending on who you are. I imagine someone like Ricky Gervais gets more than the basic pay per episode.

Quote: Lazzard @ February 13 2013, 8:56 PM GMT

I think the BBC minimum is about £10k a screen hour.

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No Wonder Brendan o'carroll is always smiling. does this go for a one off hour long Drama too? Or is that a completely different kettle of fish with a different price tag?

I don't think we do it for the money in the first place.

Maybe in the second place........

Heaven forbid!

Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 13 2013, 9:10 PM GMT

It'll obviously vary depending on who you are. I imagine somone like Ricky Gervais gets more than the basic pay per episode.

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Surely not for The Office? He was a complete unknown when he started it.

I was just trying to get a rough idea of how much a writer new to TV would get - now I know, at least for the BBC. Obviously someone like Gervais can more or less name his own price, although his star seems to be in the descendant lately.

It's certainly ironic that he probably got paid several times more for "Derek" than he did for "The Office".

I don't find it ironic. The first episode viewing figures were 2 million. That is a lot of advertising revenue and resale value (but I know what you mean.)

I did a 'Writers Bureau' course 15 years ago and then they said a commissioned new writer could expect 6K per episode.