Spanish channel accuses BBC of plagiarising hit TV show
RTVE in Spain believes the British broadcaster has copied its concept for a new series, The Ministry of Time
On February 21, the BBC took to social media to announce a new series called The Ministry of Time, based on the yet-to-be-published book of the same name by author Kaliane Bradley. Despite the book's lack of publication, it has received high praise on Goodreads, with a rating of 4.06 out of 5 stars from 397 users. The series, produced by A24, is set to premiere in May 2024, with six one-hour episodes.
The plot of The Ministry of Time revolves around a secret British government institution that recruits people from various historical periods, referred to as expats, to travel through time supported by bridges and 21st-century assistants. This concept bears a striking resemblance to the Spanish series El Ministerio del Tiempo, produced by RTVE, which premiered in 2015.
The similarity between the two series has not gone unnoticed, and many fans of El Ministerio del Tiempo have taken to social media to express their frustration about the BBC's latest project. The fact that the BBC's announcement did not mention any collaboration or licensing agreement with RTVE has only added fuel to the fire.
In response to the BBC's announcement, RTVE released a statement expressing their surprise.
"Neither RTVE nor the production company of El Ministerio del Tiempo have granted any license to BBC or production companies for its adaptation. RTVE will request explanations from BBC about the announcement it made without prejudice to the rights granted to it," the statement read, before adding that the channel was fully committed to defending its interests.
It's still not clear whether or not the Spanish TV station plans to initiate legal action against the BBC, but in the meantime, the author of the British novel has publicly defended her work, insisting that she has "never" seen the Spanish series. Her book is "an original product of fiction," she said this week, claiming that the similar plots and "identical titles" are an "unfortunate" coincidence.
Image: RTVE
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