Construction has begun on the BBC's future landmark home, The Tea Factory, in Digbeth, Birmingham.
A 100-year-old industrial building that has been unused for decades is to be “brilliantly brought back to life to become the BBC's most environmentally friendly building”.
The development by Strafford will transform the site into a state-of-the-art broadcasting center and is part of the BBC's drive to move more productions to the area.
BBC One Daytime’s new commission will be delivered from Double Act’s new regional hub in Birmingham. Former SAS leader Billy Billingham follows Britain's elite enforcement team and police forces across the country in the 15×30 series SAS: Catching the Criminals.
The BBC is investing to help independent production companies relocate, including Spun Gold TV, which will leave London with BBC daytime format Garden Rescue to new production offices based in Digbeth. It is scheduled to be relocated.
Digbeth Rock Studio – Close to the Tea Factory is also a purpose-built studio currently being built to host the BBC’s MasterChef, produced by Shine TV. MasterChef will begin production at its new home in Digbeth from autumn 2024.
The relocation of all four formats of the series will bring 130 new jobs to Birmingham and contribute to 65 hours of peak time television in Birmingham. Birmingham will become Banijay's largest production base in the UK outside of London, including a scripted partnership with Digbeth-based Stephen Knight and Kudos Knight. Clear Cut has established a new post-production facility.
BBC Studios productions Sister Boniface Mysteries, Father Brown and Silent Witness are set to move later this year. Other upcoming script commissions include Stephen Knight's This Town, Gus Kahn's hit comedy Man Like Mobeen, and the Coventry-produced CBBC drama Phoenix Rise, but there are “more on the way”. “I have plans.”
In partnership with BBC Studios, Tiger Aspect and WMCA/Create Central in the West Midlands, 24 new entry-level opportunities will be offered to future TV production talent in the region.
WMCA/Create Central has 15 junior drama opportunities in the BBC Studios production Father Brown and Sister Boniface Mysteries, with five West Midlands-based trainees (three of whom are HTV Skills Fund trainees) will be hired to work on the 28th series of Silent. Witness filming in London – The plans are designed to pave the way for the title to be produced in the Midlands. The next series of comedy Man Like Mobeen, which will be filmed in and around Birmingham, will also recruit four trainees, following a previous successful scheme.
BBC Writers and Create Central are working with other creative organizations in the West Midlands to launch a scheme to bring the next generation of scripted talent from the region into the world. Supported by Sir Lenny Henry and Kit de Waal, 'Write Across Birmingham and the Black Country' will provide up to 12 aspiring writers with insight into writing for television.
Tim Davie, BBC Director General, said: “This is an important step to boost not only the BBC but also the wider creative industries in the Midlands. is being transformed into a state-of-the-art production facility.
“Digbeth will deliver a world-class program and become a center of excellence, bringing investment and new opportunities to one of the most vibrant regions in the country.”
Hayley Valentine, Head of BBC Midlands, said: “Our new home in Digbeth will be a great creative, productive and sustainable space where our teams can come together and do their best work. We will work with partners across the region. “We are building a pipeline of new talent, producing great programming and delivering great services, which is why we are confident Digbeth will be the center of the future for TV, film, radio and more.”
Cllr John Cotton, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The council is delighted that we have been able to work closely with the BBC, Strafford and the Gooch Estate to provide vital funding through the Enterprise Zone to take this exciting project to this stage.”Construction work is currently underway. is being carried out. The Tea Factory further cements Digbeth's reputation as a center for media and creativity, and the regeneration of this historic site will catalyze wider regeneration and development, creating jobs and opportunities for the people of Birmingham. . ”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The BBC's relationship with our region has steadily progressed since Tim Davie and I agreed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021. This latest announcement. The tea factory marks a major step forward in the wider story of the resurgence of the creative industries in the West Midlands. The tea factory has been under construction for a number of years, and the spade currently in the ground is a major step forward in the wider story of the resurgence of the creative industries in the West Midlands. I will continue to play my part to ensure that the BBC's relationship with this region continues to grow, and I look forward to further investment in the coming months and years. I look forward to seeing it happen.”
Patrick Holland, CEO of Banijay UK, said: “Banijay UK has been in Birmingham for some time with shows such as Man Like Mobeen, Peaky Blinders and more recently Birmingham-based This Town. Establishing Kudos Knight, a scripted partnership to bring to Birmingham and bring local talent and stories to the fore, further strengthens our commitment to the region. Working closely with the BBC and creative partners across the city Together, we will invest in local talent and training and continue to build the creative pipeline in Birmingham.”
john creamer
share this story
