Biggest investment for a decade announced in collaboration with local government bodies.
The BBC has today announced plans for a long-overdue expansion of its Midlands output. The organisation has signed a second memorandum of understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Create Central, as part of its Across the UK strategy.
The agreement sets out a significant expansion of BBC production investment to further support creative growth in the West Midlands, working with WMCA, Create Central and local partners to promote the region as a centre of creative excellence to the wider industry.
It will ensure BBC network television production spend in the West Midlands almost doubles from £24m to £40m a year by the end of 2027.
Since its first MOU with West Midlands partners, the BBC has committed to relocating its regional Midlands HQ to the new Tea Factory site in Digbeth, and has relocated a number of key TV productions there.
Recent analysis commissioned by the BBC shows that the Corporation’s additional investment in the West Midlands, since 2021, will bring an additional £282 million of economic benefit to the region by 2031. This economic impact will grow further following today’s agreement.
BBC Director-General, Tim Davie said: “This is another transformative moment for the creative industries in the West Midlands. The MOU will significantly boost investment in skills, opportunity and talent for local people, as well as stories from the region in BBC programmes.
“Our agreement with the WMCA and Create Central deepens our partnership with the West Midlands to secure its place as a world-class centre for film and TV production.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “The BBC’s investment is vital because our TV and creative industries are fast becoming powerhouses of our regional economy. Hits like Peaky Blinders put the West Midlands on the world stage and brought our first major studio. This partnership means we can provide backing at all levels, priming local people to seize new opportunities, while making it easier than ever for blockbuster productions to film here.”
In signing the agreement the BBC is committing to: uilding the mix of scripted output in the region, and strengthening its presence in unscripted alongside MasterChef, Great British Menu and Garden Rescue.
There is also a commitment to continue with the WMCA, ScreenSkills and other partners to invest in skills and talent development, as well as partner with creative organisations on apprenticeships and traineeships.
BBC Studios will set up a new purpose-built production base in Digbeth after leaving the Drama Village, for use by BBC Studios and third-party commissions and programmes. There should also be an increased number of opportunities for regional producers to meet and develop relationships with BBC commissioning colleagues, as we expand our commissioner footprint in the region.
BBC Public Service and BBC Commercial will work with local partners and organisations in Digbeth, Birmingham and the West Midlands to grow the impact of its presence and investments, as well as opportunities for local communities.
BBC Studioworks and Digbeth Loc Studios have also joined forces through a new commercial and operational agreement. This partnership brings together BBC Studioworks’ operational expertise with the world-class creative hub now open at Digbeth Loc to cement Birmingham as one of the UK’s most dynamic homes for storytelling.
New dramas The Hairdresser Mysteries and Detection Club, which will be produced in the West Midlands, with The Hairdresser Mysteries filmed in the region have also been announced. The Corporation has also released images of the new Digbeth Loc based MasterChef studio.
The WMCA will commit to invest a minimum of £5 icluisng per annum in creative industries infrastructure between April 2025 and March 2028 for activities including a £2 million per year fund for the West Midlands to encourage more production activity in the region.
They will also be bunding a new region-wide production services office, Production Central, delivered by West Midlands Growth Company, with the resources to unlock production business and wider opportunities for the region.
There will also be investment in intellectual property developed by creative businesses based in the region and support for a growing production talent pipeline for the region, which reflects the diversity of the West Midlands including socio-economically, as well as further developing Digbeth as a creative hub.
This week the BBC also launched its new Made Of campaign which celebrates its commitment to supporting homegrown storytelling and portrayal from across the UK At the heart of the campaign is a compelling new film; the BBC’s love letter to places across the UK that have inspired some of its most iconic TV shows and characters, and includes Birmingham, Peaky Blinders and Man Like Mobeen.
