BBC Launches Major Drama Drive in West Midlands
The BBC is cranking up its commitment to the West Midlands with a fresh wave of drama production outside London. The broadcaster has pledged to back at least two high-impact scripted series set and made in the region every year.
More Drama, More Training, Bigger Impact
This move boosts the BBC’s ongoing Across the UK strategy, surpassing promises made in the Memorandum of Understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central. Over the next two years, the BBC will pump extra investment into training and development schemes to nurture local talent and authentic voices through initiatives like the BBC Writersroom.
Masterchef and Silent Witness Head to Digbeth
2024 will see the popular Masterchef brand shift to new studios in Digbeth. Not just that—the hit series Silent Witness is relocating to the West Midlands, promising a major production boost. New drama commissions like Steven Knight’s This Town, Guz Khan’s 1 Man Like Mobeen, and the CBBC show Phoenix Rise are also set to call the region home.
BBC Brass Speak Out
“The BBC is committed to investing in the West Midlands and this plan will create a future-proof skills base in the region,” said BBC Chief Content Officer 1 Moore. “It will fundamentally change the landscape, boosting high-impact content production with the arrival of the hugely popular hit series Silent Witness in 2024. I’m excited for the opportunities this opens up for local creative talent.”
Mark Linsey, Managing Director for Scripted at BBC Studios added: “This is an exciting time for one of our longest-running dramas that continues to thrill audiences here in the UK and over 200 territories worldwide. We look forward to the creative opportunities relocating production of Silent Witness to the West Midlands will bring.”
