The BBC is to spend at least £25m in the north-east over the next five years, with daytime, factual and comedy output from the region in its sights.
A total of 12 local authorities and three combined authorities in the region will work with the BBC and indies to invest in talent, skills and infrastructure to support the local production industry. The agreement – the biggest in the region in decades - includes funding from Northern Film + Media.
The BBC has committed to a new daytime show and early-peak factual commission, both of which come under the auspices of its first daytime commissioner to be based in the region, Helen Munsen.
The deal also outlines a creative partnership between BBC3 and BBC England to identify and develop factual shows for the youth channel.
Dragonfly’s BBC1 ob-doc Ambulance, which employs a large number of freelancers, will move from the north-west the north-east for its next two series.
Newcastle becomes the BBC’s first ‘city of comedy’ and will host this year’s New Comedy Awards as part of a wider comedy offer that also includes new-talent masterclasses events across the north-east and an expanded run of BBC3 comedy Angels of the North.
Meanwhile, the BBC is creating 70 jobs for a new tech hub in Newcastle.
