- Peaky Blinders franchise helps shore up region’s success as production hub.
- Hub status predicated on a region’s ability to accommodate and provide for scripted titles.
- Region joins UK-wide network of production hubs that generated £5.8 billion inward investment spend for the UK in 2025.
The British Film Commission (BFC) today (3 August) announces the West Midlands (Birmingham) as the UK’s eighth official regional production hub for scripted inward investment film and high-end TV.
Having served as production base for Peaky Blinders, feature film The Immortal Man and the as-yet untitled Peaky Blinders spin-off series, the West Midlands can now receive official hub status, which is determined by three key criteria:
- Studio or stage space, and infrastructure, capable of supporting a film and scripted high-end TV show.
- Access to a skilled local crew base.
- Evidence of successfully accommodating a major scripted title.
The West Midlands (Birmingham) now joins South-West England (Bristol); North-West England (Manchester and Liverpool); Yorkshire (Leeds); Northern Ireland (Belfast); Scotland (Glasgow and Edinburgh); Wales (Cardiff); and London & South-East England as an official production hub, lending its strength to a UK-wide offer which contributed some £5.8 billion to the UK economy in 2025. To ensure the ongoing success of this sector, the BFC works with a range of private and public sector partners to ensure established and emerging production hubs alike are capable of delivering for film and high-end TV projects.
Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of the British Film Commission, said: “As Tommy Shelby of the Peaky Blinders once said, ‘when you plan something well, there’s no need to rush’. The growing success of the West Midlands as a UK production hub certainly bears this out. Over the course of nearly 15 years, the region has steadily grown in strength and stature, building skills, infrastructure and reputation.
“With the West Midlands becoming an official regional production hub, our offer to the global film and TV industry now spans the length and breadth of the UK: wherever you base your production, you’re within a stone’s throw of world-class facilities, crew and talent, with access to one-of-a-kind locations and some of the world’s most stable, transparent and generous tax incentives.
“As a born-and-bred West Midlander who started his career in the region I take great pleasure and pride in this exciting and welcome development. It is a major win for the region’s creative community, the UK and a win for the global industry as a whole.”
Steven Knight, writer, director and creator of Peaky Blinders, said: “I’m thrilled that the West Midlands has been recognised as a fantastic place to make film and TV. The opening of Digbeth Loc. Studios is an important part of that ambition, providing a home for world-class film and television production in the heart of Birmingham. We are at the beginning of a journey, and we’ve got off to a great start. The West Midlands is always ambitious, and we believe we will create a global content making industry in our neighbourhood.”
Martin Haines, Managing Director, Kudos, said: “Making Peaky Blinders in the West Midlands has been a fantastic experience and the area is fast becoming a centre of excellence for the TV industry. With a state-of-the-art studio space in Digbeth Loc, highly engaged local partners and policy makers and a rapidly growing talent base, boosted by the work and investment by Kudos Knight, I am delighted that the West Midlands has been recognised as a UK production hub.”
Jason Horton, Chief Operating Officer for BBC Nations said: “The West Midlands has a rich storytelling heritage and a wealth of creative talent, and this recognition helps to cement its place as a world-class centre for film and TV production. The BBC has already brought major productions to the region, demonstrating our commitment to working with partners across the industry to support the continued growth of the West Midlands’ screen sector and help unlock its full potential.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This is a real gamechanger because it gives the TV and film industry the confidence that we can provide the workforce, incredible locations and facilities for productions of every scale. The BBC is already doubling its production spend and Netflix did not hesitate to bring the Shelbys home. We’ve also recently provided the backdrop for Yash Raj’s latest Bollywood blockbuster.
“Long-running productions Silent Witness and MasterChef are creating regular work for local crews and helping keep talent here. And I’m investing in the local creators of new screen and digital ideas and training up the next generation so they have the skills producers and directors need. With our dedicated production office, it’s never been easier to get a production rolling here.”
Hayley Armstrong, Head of Production Services for Filming in England at Creative England, said: “The West Midlands’ recognition as an official UK production hub is a significant milestone and the result of years of investment, collaboration and ambition across the screen sector.
“The success of productions such as Peaky Blinders has demonstrated the strength of the region’s locations, infrastructure, talent base and industry partnerships. Hub status will help accelerate growth by attracting new investment, creating skilled jobs and opening up opportunities for local businesses and communities.
“We are delighted to welcome the West Midlands – with the cosmopolitan city of Birmingham at its centre – as the UK’s eighth production hub and England’s fifth regional production hub, and look forward to working with Production Central and partners across the region to support its continued success.”
Martin Simms, Head of Production Central, the production services agency for the West Midlands, said: ”The recognition of the West Midlands as a top-tier destination for screen production is a significant milestone as we continue to build our reputation as an emerging hub for the UK’s screen industries. With its diverse locations, rich heritage, fresh iconic backdrops and distinctive landscapes, the region offers a compelling proposition for film, television and digital productions.
“We’re redefining how the industry partners with the West Midlands, making it easier than ever to access the region’s opportunities and bring productions to life.
“We’re open for business and look forward to building meaningful partnerships that help shape the future of screen production in the West Midlands.”
In addition to the region’s new Hub status, the BBC previously announced plans to establish its future regional headquarters in the Tea Factory in Digbeth as a visible symbol of its long-term commitment to growing production in the West Midlands. Together with Digbeth Loc. Studios, it will further strengthen the region’s creative economy, supporting jobs, attracting inward investment, and reinforcing the West Midlands’ position as one of the UK’s leading production centres.
BBC-commissioned analysis forecasts that its recent investment in Digbeth and the West Midlands will generate £282 million in economic benefit by 2031.
