Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey has blasted the BBC for airing reality TV show talent contests - insisting they put people off going to the theatre.

The American Beauty star - who now runs London’s Old Vic Theatre - has criticized British shows such as Any Dream Will Do and I’d Do Anything, which use a public vote to find new West End talent to star in musicals such as Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Oliver.

And Spacey admits that although the shows have renewed the public’s interest in musical theatre, he is convinced the BBC needs to do more to build the next generation of theatre-goers or else "we’ll lose them all to TV."

The 48-year-old is convinced the only reason the revamped musicals do well in the West End is because the TV shows act as nothing more than an expensive marketing campaign, which should be applied to more theatre productions.

He says, "I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical where’s our 13-week program?" Spacey has suggested the BBC create a reality show about the theatre to "help kids find their own sense of self-esteem, confidence and ability to collaborate," but insists the network will never take up his idea.

He adds, "These are interesting ideas, now they’re not sexy so maybe they don’t want to put them on air."