The European Union spent almost £10 million last year on British television programmes including cartoons and a pro-European documentary intended to star Eddie Izzard.
The Creative Europe initiative supports animations such as Bat Pat, the adventures of a talking bat, and Ladybug, an animated series about children who can transform into animals.
Among the most controversial was Europe: Who Do You Think EU Are, a mock-retrospective documentary shown this year on BBC4 as The Great European Disaster Movie which argues the case for European unity. Receiving £71,000 of financial support, the film eventually starred Angus Deayton and was panned by critics.
The Taxpayers’ Alliance, which conducted the research, called for an end to public money being spent on “vanity projects”. Jonathan Isaby, its chief executive, said: “Blowing more than a million pounds on grants to fanciful animated adventures, pro- European mockumentaries with B-list celebrities and projects which would be successful without such generous subsidy is totally inappropriate and, frankly, contemptible.”
A European Commission spokesman said: “Creative Europe helps European film and TV compete with the might of Hollywood. British productions, which get an average of over £10 million a year, are among the biggest winners.
Advertisement
He cited a £1 million grant for The Iron Lady, a portrait of Margaret Thatcher, and similar support for The King’s Speech. He added: “Not every film supported succeeds, but audiences — and not the Taxpayers’ Alliance — decide what films and TV programmes they like. Nominees from all member state governments are also consulted.”