North East and the Border

Lift for indies in North East

BBC daytime series from the North East Northern Justice

The corporation is bringing £25m to the region over five years, including spending on new programming and talent.

Production companies have been encouraged to pitch, putting the North East at the heart of their concepts. Representatives from successful commissions sat on the RTS panel, alongside the BBC commissioning editor Helen Munson.

Munson said: “These are network programmes that we’re making, and they absolutely stand up with the other programmes that we have on BBC daytime. There is no denying the quality is here.”

Beowulf at the door - North East & the Border annual lecture

ITV expects its new multi-million-pound fantasy drama Beowulf to appeal to audiences too squeamish to watch HBO’s gory Game of Thrones. And it’s hoped that the franchise will build on the North East’s growing reputation as a drama production base.

ITV Studios MD Julian Bellamy predicted that the new 13-part action series, filmed in Weardale and on Tyneside, will also have the broader appeal of more mainstream shows, such as BBC One’s Merlin.