The UK film and television industry has reached a significant milestone in improving working conditions for crew members, with the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (Bectu) and the Producers' Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) signing a joint statement pledging to eliminate 'broken turnaround' practices.
What is Broken Turnaround?
'Broken turnaround' occurs when crew members are required to return to work within less than 11 consecutive hours in each 24-hour period. This practice breaches workplace rights established under Regulation 10 of The Working Time Regulations 1998, which entitles all workers to an 11-hour break between finishing work and starting again.
The issue has become widespread across UK productions, with Bectu's recent survey of nearly 500 film and TV crew members revealing that 40% were frequently asked to break turnaround, whilst a further 34% were sometimes asked to do so. Only 4% of respondents said they had not been asked to break turnaround on any of their last three jobs.
Industry Progress and the Joint Statement
The collaboration between Bectu and Pact represents a rare unified approach to addressing working conditions in the industry. The joint statement, issued in July 2025, acknowledges that whilst the 2023 crew agreement has achieved significant reductions in broken turnaround payments, both organisations want to see the practice eliminate Macdonald**, Bectu's National Secretary for London Production and Regional Production divisions, emphasised the severity of the issue: "It's no secret that long working hours and irregular shifts are all too common in film and TV. This is not only a critical health and safety issue – the impact on film and TV workers' wellbeing and personal lives is huge. Extreme fatigue, missed family time, severe mental health struggles, accidents and near misses are all commonplace".
Demonstrable Success of Collective Agreements
Data from a recent study commissioned by Pact and conducted by Team Engine has highlighted the effectiveness of collective bargaining in addressing working conditions. Since the new crew agreement came into force at the beginning of 2023, there have been substantial reductions in broken turnaround across different production bands:
- Band 2 shows: 45% reduction in crew breaking turnaround
- Band 3 shows: 52% reduction in crew breaking turnaround
- Band 4 shows: 53% reduction in crew breaking turnaround
The 2023 agreement introduced several key changes including a reduced shooting day, revolutionised working hours, and the abolition of overtime payments at the start of the working day.
Health and Safety Implications
The impact of broken turnaround extends far beyond mere inconvenience. Bectu's research reveals alarming safety consequences, with one in four respondents reporting incidents involving driving whilst tired, falling asleep at the wheel, crashes, car accidents, and near-misses. Over 90% of surveyed crew members said that breaking turnaround impacted their ability to do their job safely and effectively.
One costume department worker shared their experience: "Broken turnaround often makes me feel as though I'm at danger of falling asleep at the wheel either the same day or next morning. I worked with a trainee who wrote her car off after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into the back of a lorry after her turnaround was broken".
Industry-Wide Commitment Sought
Both Bectu and Pact are calling on major industry players to join their commitment. The organisations have specifically invited BBC Studios, ITV, and the Production Managers Association (PMA) to participate in roundtable discussions. BBC Studios, as the UK's largest production company, has been particularly encouraged to take a leadership role rather than leaving the responsibility solely with independent producers.
Recent reports confirm that BBC Studios will attend upcoming meetings to discuss the issue, following the joint plea from Pact and Bectu for the BBC's commercial arm to commit to eliminating the practice.
Moving Forward
The first constructive meeting between Pact and Bectu took place on 3rd June 2025, where they discussed setting strict boundaries on the use of broken turnaround to enable crew to maintain a healthier work-life balance. A further meeting was provisionally scheduled for late July, with both parties extending invitations to other major industry stakeholders.
Macdonald concluded: "Now, we are saying enough is enough. With many productions picking up again, we need everyone who's being asked to break their turnaround to report it to Bectu so we can better understand the scale of the problem and tackle it".
The joint statement emphasises that "good planning and management can eliminate or reduce broken turnaround" and that this is "something which all in positions of responsibility can work together to achieve, from line producers to heads of department".
This collaborative approach marks a significant step towards improving working conditions in an industry that has long struggled with unsustainable working practices, offering hope for better work-life balance and safer working environments for thousands of film and television professionals across the UK.
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