The BBC Economic Impact Report for Northern Ireland showed the drama series “Blue Lights” has had a positive impact on the economy across its first two series, alongside other network productions made in Northern Ireland. The report, which was published today to coincide with the centenary of the BBC in Northern Ireland, highlighted the contribution that the BBC makes to the development of the creative industries in Northern Ireland and provides an outline of the local independent production sector as it currently stands.
The report highlighted that, in 2023/24, the BBC invested £112 million into Northern Ireland. Moreover, it revealed how much some of the BBC titles made in Northern Ireland have contributed to the local economy over the last number of years.
“Blue Lights” has generated an estimated £20m in GVA (gross value added) to the Northern Ireland economy across its first two series. Meanwhile, it is estimated that across the four series of “Hope Street,” £17.5m has been generated in GVA for Northern Ireland through employment and spending in the supply chain. More than 280 jobs have been supported through “Blue Lights” and “Hope Street” alone.
It also revealed that entertainment series “Mastermind” and “Celebrity Mastermind” have generated around £6m GVA to the Northern Ireland economy across the five series it has filmed in Belfast.
The report also shows that more than 80% of the production budget for the first two series of “Blue Lights” was spent within Northern Ireland. The series, made by Two Cities Television and Gallagher Films, employed an average of 59 cast of which 83% were either born in or a resident of Northern Ireland. Of the 246 crew, more than 87% were local. Based on the spend, the report estimates that the programme has generated more than £20m in GVA for Northern Ireland through employment and spending in the supply chain, which will have supported the equivalent of approximately 150 FTE opportunities in the local economy.
Around 71% of the spend on “Hope Street,” made by Longstory TV, was retained within Northern Ireland. It is estimated that the four series have generated £17.5m in GVA for Northern Ireland through employment and spending in the supply chain, which supported the equivalent of about 134 FTE opportunities.
Since its move to Belfast, “Mastermind,” made by Hindsight and Hat Trick Productions, has also made a significant contribution to the local economy. The report found that between 51% and 59% of the production budget was spent within Northern Ireland and each series employs around 40 local crew. In addition, “Mastermind” has supported new entrant programmes on almost every show, including the CINE (Creative Industries New Entrants) scheme. It is estimated that series 17-21 will have supported approximately 49 FTE opportunities in the local economy.
In 2023/24, the BBC invested £112 million into Northern Ireland, more than ever before. Approximately £58m of this was invested in local services via BBC Northern Ireland and a further £42m was invested by BBC Network services – the largest investment in network content in Northern Ireland in this charter period. In the same period independent production companies supplied 100% of both drama and comedy from Northern Ireland, and almost 60% of factual programming.
Much of this is underpinned by the BBC’s partnership with Northern Ireland Screen to strengthen and support the sector. Now in its tenth year, the partnership has seen the BBC doubling its network TV spend in the region since 2015/16, resulting in some of the BBC’s biggest dramas coming from Northern Ireland, including “Line Of Duty,” “Bloodlands,” “The Fall” and, more recently, “Blue Lights,” which has already been commissioned for two more series.
Speaking at the Belfast Media Festival, BBC Director General, Tim Davie, said: “Today there can be no doubt about the world-class offer of this sector, and the creative firepower of this nation. Big, multi-series BBC dramas like Blue Lights have played a key role in helping to drive and embed that change, and returning series like Hope Street are vital in both showcasing the skills on offer here and providing a career pathway for individuals to develop. But perhaps most important of all is the fact that shows like these are telling the unique, authentic stories of this place and its people.”
This increase in network commissioning in Northern Ireland, which in turn benefits the creative industries in the region, has also been bolstered by the BBC’s Across The UK strategy, launched in 2021. Aimed at putting more budget and decision making into the nations and regions of the UK - and responding to the need to get closer to audiences to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the UK - the strategy has led to a number of deliberate investments into Northern Ireland. Earlier this year the BBC went further with a refresh of its value for all strategy, with a renewed focus on backing the best of home-grown storytelling.
Recent unscripted network co-commissions with BBC Northern Ireland include the award-winning “Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland” (Keo Films/ Walk On Air) and, through a successful partnership between BBC NI and BBC Three, “The Fast And The Farmer-ish” (Alleycats TV), “Made Up In Belfast” (Afro-Mic Productions), “Hunting The Catfish Crime Gang” (Strident Media) and the recent series “Teen Predator/Online Killer” (DoubleBand Films), all utilizing the skills of the Northern Ireland independent sector.
Northern Ireland has also been used as a location for a range of scripted content in recent years, including, in Drama, series two of “Showtrial,” series two of “World On Fire,” “Woman In The Wall,” “Conversations With Friends” and, in Children’s, series one and two of “Pickle Storm,” series two of “A Kind Of Spark,” “Silverpoint” and “Nova Jones.”
The report stated that the BBC has also supported 20 indies in Northern Ireland this year through funded ideas development and strategic development. These include the Diverse Talent Development Fund, Small Indie Fund, the Comedy Regional Partnership Scheme and the Production Management Skills Fund. And the recent Hot House scheme, meanwhile, resulted in commissions across network and BBC NI for five Northern Ireland-based indies.
In addition, the BBC also committed to double the number of TV commissioners based outside of London as part of a change in approach to TV commissioning. In Northern Ireland this has included two new assistant commissioners in children’s animated content and documentaries. The BBC’s Controller of Youth Audience for iPlayer and BBC Three is also based in Belfast. With these roles comes a greater ability to co-commission content with the existing Nations commissioners, which drives greater value for audiences in Northern Ireland as well as sharing the unique perspective of Northern Ireland across the UK.
Davie concluded: “I believe a thriving and sustainable screen industry in Northern Ireland needs the BBC at its heart. A BBC that, in its second century here, is more committed than ever before to working with the sector and backing its future.”
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