Kaliane Bradley, whose novel is the cornerstone of the new BBC series The Ministry of Time, has faced the maelstrom of accusations of plagiarism with a blunt position: she is unaware of the existence of the Spanish series The Ministry of Time. Therefore, she implies that the accusations of RTVE and Javier Olivares, the creator of Spanish fiction, do not make any kind of sense.
Bradley, through a statement issued by his agency Aitken Alexander, has expressed his bewilderment at the statements of Olivares and RTVE, arguing that his work is an “original product of fiction.” Furthermore, he has described as “unfortunate” the coincidence of titles between his unpublished novel and the Spanish series, underscoring his claim that he had no prior knowledge of Olivares’ production.
This controversy came to light when the BBC announced the launch of The Ministry of Time, scheduled for May 7. The similarities in the name and the central concept – a government department in charge of missions over time – sparked an intense debate about originality and possible plagiarism of approaches.
Faced with the accusations, the BBC has vehemently defended the originality of its series, arguing that it is based exclusively on Bradley’s work – no one has been able to read it yet – which in turn says it is original. Despite the great controversy that has arisen these days, the premiere of the series remains on track.
The British network has noted that the plot includes romantic, science fiction and thriller elements, and offers a unique vision of historical exiles adapting to modern life in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the BBC assures that, despite the similarities, it is quite far from the Spanish premise.
The Ministry of Time is produced by a renowned creative team, including screenwriter Alice Birch and production company A24, and promises to be a significant addition to the science fiction genre.
