Newcastle has been confirmed as the host of this year's BBC New Comedy Awards.
The news comes as the city is announced as the BBC’s first City of Comedy.
The BBC is to make its biggest investment in the North East of England for decades as part of a new partnership with the region.
As part of investment in the north-east BBC Comedy will host a series of masterclasses and events across the region to develop new talent and skills and BBC Radio 4 will bring one of the annual Reith Lectures to the North East later this year and record a new comedy series in the region. No further details have been released at thsi stage.
The BBC will spend at least £25m over the next five years right across the North East to fund network TV production, talent development and support for the creative sector.
The announcement builds on other recent moves such as a BBC Daytime TV commissioner being based permanently in the North East and hit BBC Three series Angels of the North, set in a Gateshead salon, returning later this year in expanded form. The BBC Writers Room, which already supports new talent development in the region, will also continue to work with writers from across the North East.
The BBC, the authorities and Northern Film + Media will look for opportunities to grow relationships with local facilities as they develop across the region, such as the Northern Studios in Hartlepool, and the independent production sector, which has recently seen companies opening new offices across the North East, including in Sunderland and Middlesbrough.
The North East is a priority for the BBC in terms of audience portrayal and activity. The BBC is the leading commissioner by spend across the UK TV production economy and already a leading commissioner in the North East.
This is the latest in a series of external partnerships the BBC has launched across the UK to help stimulate growth in the creative economy. Earlier this year, the BBC announced a new partnership with Creative Wales and another with Create Central, the screen agency in the West Midlands, alongside existing agreements with Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Scotland.
Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, says: “This is a really exciting day for the BBC and I hope for the whole of the North East too. I’m proud we’ve been able to partner with so many organisations from right across the region. And what’s clear is the ambition and determination to make the North East a major centre for the creative industries and we want to play an important part in making that happen. We want to see more BBC content coming from the North East and a BBC that’s much more active and visible in the region. It’s time to get on with that work.”
Further information about the awards including transmission details will be announced in due course.
