The BBC has announced a package of measures to help the independent production sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The five key pointers are:

• A company-centric approach to impacted productions
• The doubling of the corporation”s investment in the Small Indie Fund
• Supercharging development
• Expanding BBC Three creative partnerships in other nations and regions
• Investment in archive rights

Charlotte Moore, director of content, said: “We recognise this is an incredibly challenging time for all of those working in the creative industry and especially the smaller independent production companies.

“We want to do what we can to keep creativity focused and thriving so that we can continue to bring audiences the high quality content that they expect.

“These measures demonstrate our long term commitment to sustaining the creative health of the industry, right across the UK.”