Ex-'Ambulance' producer launches legal battle over 'mental health' damages

On the BBC, Ambulance is one of the network's critically acclaimed documentaries. Yet, the series landed in controversy.

This is after Peter Wallis-Tayler, who served as an ex-executive producer on the series, sued the Banijay-owned production company Dragonfly Film & Television, which produced the documentary.

As the former executive producer, he said he worked on nearly 70 episodes but claimed that Ambulance damaged his mental health and that the production company failed to protect him.

According to Wallis-Tayler, he suffered “psychiatric injuries after experiencing work-related stressors and traumatic incidents without sufficient protections."

In response to such alleged damages, the former executive producer is seeking $270,000.

In the High Court, the lawsuit read, “The defendant was on notice of the claimant’s psychological vulnerability stemming from his persistent and unsupported exposure to work-related stressors and traumatic incidents."

“Notwithstanding this knowledge, the defendant failed to take adequate steps to protect the claimant from foreseeable harm, resulting in a negligent breach of the duty of care. As a result of this negligent breach, the claimant has suffered psychiatric injuries and consequential losses.”

But Banijay UK fervently refused the allegation with its UK spokesperson saying, “Whilst we cannot comment on the specific details of the claim, we strongly refute any suggestion that the Dragonfly production teams undertake these roles, including on the series of Ambulance, without extensive and comprehensive training from experienced professionals in the field and ongoing specialist support before, during and after filming. The welfare of our staff is always our priority.”