A ‘mature’ actor has accused TV producers of using ‘insulting’ stereotypes to portray older people on screen.
Chris Conil, 77, who has appeared as an extra in EastEnders, Silent Witness and The Bill, said they are often shown as ‘grumpy, feeble or comic relief‘.
The thespian says broadcasters are letting down elderly viewers as they are instead chasing younger people.
The Sussex-based father-of-three, who lives with his wife Suzanne, 76, in Seaford, said: ‘Ageing is a chapter, not the final page.
‘We are like fine wine, matured, but still with flavour. When you uncork us, there is anticipation, richness and character. That is what producers should be showing.’
Mr Conil previously ran a retirement home with his wife for fourteen years and says television plays an ‘integral’ part in residents’ lives, adding ‘it keeps their memories alive’.
He added: ‘If you go into a retirement home you find eccentricity, history, stories that span decades and a sense of family bonding with others.’
Mr Conil believes dramas and comedies should make more of the depth that older characters bring.
Chris Conil, 77, who has appeared as an extra in EastEnders , Silent Witness and The Bill, has accused TV producers of using ‘insulting’ stereotypes to portray older people on screen
The thespian says broadcasters are letting down elderly viewers as they are instead chasing younger people
He praised Happy Valley and The Vicar of Dibley for their ‘strong writing that appeal across generations’.
He said: ‘Give us characters with proper stories, not cardboard cut-outs. If you respect older viewers, they’ll be loyal and spread the word. But right now, we’re being let down.
‘Arts and culture programmes that assume we can handle complexity should be the criteria.
‘Reality is far funnier, richer and more moving than anything they showed. If TV really wants to capture older audiences, it needs to stop patronising us.
‘We represent decades of purchasing power, cultural sophistication, and viewing loyalty, hear our voice.’
The former baker, who turned to acting in later life and is the star of a new series of television ads for Great! TV, says producers continually underestimate the richness of older people’s lives.
He fumed: ‘The over-55s are the nation’s biggest TV viewers, and yet we feel the most underrepresented. When we do appear, we’re shown as grumpy, feeble or comic relief. It’s insulting.’
But, there is some hope on the horizon. Mr Conil did point to Netflix’s star-studded adaptation of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club novels as a ‘good start’.
He said: ‘I’m sure the sequel will expand the opportunities for the more mature intelligent actor.
‘I’m an advocate for programmes that take a risk for the young at heart, meaningful, rich in culture rather than empty camera work and dire dialogue.’
He trained at the National Bakery School in London and qualified as a Master Baker, and for years he ran many bakeries in Essex.
Mr Conil has sung and played guitar with Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green (left) for a demo, in which he impersonated former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson to the song ‘Man of the World’
Despite being an accomplished guitarist, it was not that instrument that landed him on Top of the Tops – in fact, he mimed playing the violin for DJ Quicksilver’s performance of Bellissima in 1997
However, Mr Conil did point to Netflix’s star-studded adaptation of Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club (pictured) novels as a ‘good start’
The former baker, who turned to acting in later life and is the star of a new series of television ads for Great! TV
Mr Conil (pictured in one of Great!’s new ads) says older people are often shown as grumpy, feeble or comic relief
In his later years he managed a hotel in East Sussex, combining his passion for acting whenever an opportunity arose.
He has been a local councillor in his home town of Seaford, a commercial model, has sung and played guitar with Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green for a demo, in which he impersonated former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson to the song ‘Man of the World’.
Despite being an accomplished guitarist, it was not that instrument that landed him on Top of the Tops – in fact, he mimed playing the violin for DJ Quicksilver’s performance of Bellissima in 1997.
He says: ‘I’ve lived a rich and varied life. And so too have many mature people. That’s what’s missing in a lot of TV today. We need content that acknowledges our sharp [sometimes a little cloudy] minds.’
His comments come as a new report from Freeview channel network Great! reveals millions of Brits aged 55 and over feel ‘left behind’ by today’s TV – despite being the generation who watch it most.
The Upper Third report found a quarter (26 per cent) of those mature viewers feel forgotten by producers despite watching more TV than any other age group – averaging three hours and 42 minutes a day.
On top of that, more than eight in ten (85 per cent) over-55s felt they were not portrayed positively on TV, with the number reaching 89 per cent for women over 75.
Worse still, two-thirds (63 per cent) of over 55s believe older actors in modern dramas tend to play ‘offensive’, ‘doddering’ or other ‘stereotypical ‘old people’ characters who are often the ‘butt of the joke’.
In the past week, the five terrestrial channels showed just nine classic shows, representing less than 5 per cent of total programming.
The Great! network – including Great! TV, Great! Action, Great! Mystery and from this month Great! Christmas – is relaunching for the very audiences who feel left behind by normal TV – prioritising much-loved and classic, high-quality TV series and films.
The Upper Third report is the centrepiece of Great! TV’s relaunch – driven by a mission to bring back the best of British television for a nation of forgotten viewers.
He did, however, praise BBC hit police drama Happy Valley for its ‘strong writing that appeal across generations’
The Vicar of Dibley also won high praise from Mr Conil who has called for ‘characters with proper stories, not cardboard cut-outs’
The relaunch hit screens at 8am on Thursday, September 4 on Freeview 34 and shows programmes including Rising Damp, Murder, She Wrote and the Carry On films.
Marketing director for Great!, Kate Gartland, said: ‘Britain’s most loyal TV viewers are “not young”, and so they’re being routinely ignored by broadcasters.
‘Our core audiences are telling us loud and clear they feel left behind and want somewhere to watch their favourite shows – and that’s exactly what we’re giving them at Great! We curate our channels to celebrate the shows our audiences want, just how they want them.
‘TV’s for entertainment, for bringing people together, and often for providing company. We offer TV that fits right in. It shouldn’t be all Love Island, First Dates and prioritising Gen Z – all audiences are important, and they should all be catered for.’
