Piers Read: Last News

Work has begun on Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight’s Birmingham TV and film studio.

Naman Ramachandran Construction has begun on Birmingham’s Digbeth Loc. Studios, the brainchild of British screenwriter, director and producer, Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”). Knight’s vision, alongside business partner, TIME+SPACE CEO Piers Read, is to create a long-term cultural legacy for his home city by welcoming blue-chip brands to the studio. Work on the site is expected to complete by mid-July with the first filming due to take place in October. First shows to be filmed at the new facility include BBC drama “This Town” from Banijay U.K.’s Kudos and food format, “MasterChef,” produced by Banijay U.K.’s Shine TV. An area of the new studios is also expected to be occupied by legendary Birmingham reggae band UB40.

Amid the ongoing crisis related to the new coronavirus that has shut down most film and TV production across the U.K., a proposed new studio facility aimed at capitalizing on the recent British production boom is set to receive 250 million pounds ($290 million) of funding. Newly launched U.K.

The U.K.'s growing status as one of the world's leading film and TV production hubs and the ever-increasing demand for studio space has led to the creation of a new 500 million pound ($640 million) investment fund. The Creative District Improvement Company — founded by real estate developers Piers Read, producer of hit Brit comedies The Inbetweeners and Peep Show, and Jeremy Rainbird, who helped launch Sharon Horgan's label Merman — was unveiled Monday to capitalize on the boom created by the likes of Amazon, Apple and Netflix.

By Tom Grater