Axing Channel 4 dramas such as Endgame and Red Riding is one of the “unpleasant choices” that may arise from the ‘credit crunch’ a channel boss has said.

Luke Johnson, the channel’s chairman, said that is the downturn in advertising revenue continues complex dramas may be a thing of the past.

Speaking at a meeting of the government’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee to discuss a possible partnership between Channel 4 and the BBC, it was also pointed out that the channel doesn’t pay their stars anywhere near the £6 million which the BBC pays Jonathan Ross.

But Johnson said that talent was still “feeling the pinch”.

He said: “The figure you mentioned is a high water mark. There are some positives coming out of this downturn.”

Asked if stars were threatening to walk, he said: “In some cases, Countdown for example. And we survived.”