How the BBC is helping Birmingham to shine during the Commonwealth Games

BBC Head of Midlands Stuart Thomas tells BirminghamWorld about his broadcast goals for the Commonwealth Games
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When the Commonwealth Games comes to Birmingham next week, the eyes of the world will be on this incredible city.

Our job at the BBC is to help make sure that Birmingham and the West Midlands shine as brightly as possible in that global spotlight.

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With wall-to-wall sports coverage from our custom-built studio right in the heart of the city, we’re pulling out all the stops.

BBC Sport will broadcast more than 200 hours of live coverage across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three and there will be up to 11 streams on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, plus additional Red Button coverage.

But we’re going even further.

Last year, the BBC was the key broadcast partner for Coventry’s City of Culture, bringing a huge variety of content to audiences, from Radio 1’s Big Weekend to a documentary about 2 Tone and from poetry to the Turner Prize. We couldn’t be prouder of the reaction from the city and wider region.

Now we want to make sure the buzz of Birmingham’s big summer can be felt right across our output. That’s why BBC Breakfast and Radio 2’s Zoe Ball Breakfast Show will come live from the city, supported by further content from across BBC Radio, including special outside broadcasts from 1XTRA and 5live.

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We’re also backing the region with a whole raft of special events and commissions.

Head of BBC Midlands Stuart ThomasHead of BBC Midlands Stuart Thomas
Head of BBC Midlands Stuart Thomas

What are these BBC special events and commissions for Birmingham and the West Midlands?

There’s BBC One’s Sport Relief All-Star Games, taking place in front of live crowds at five Commonwealth venues. There’s the Beyond the Bricks of Brum concert – a major celebration of the region’s music and spoken word scene. Back in Time for Birmingham was a real treat on BBC Two, and of course, it is still on BBC iPlayer if you missed it.

Earlier this month BBC World Questions came to Birmingham for a special edition focusing on the Commonwealth. It features an expert panel who will debate questions from a public audience at Birmingham University and on video link from across the Commonwealth.

Brum Ting song becomes BBC theme tune for the Commonwealth GamesBrum Ting song becomes BBC theme tune for the Commonwealth Games
Brum Ting song becomes BBC theme tune for the Commonwealth Games

What about BBC local services that cover Birmingham and the West Midlands already?

Of course, our local services are covering the games – and the cultural programme that comes with them. BBC Radio WM and Midlands Today will be out of the studio and broadcasting from key locations in the city, while our online services will be delivering for audiences across the region and around the world.

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We’re only just getting started. The Games may only be in Birmingham for 11 days, but the BBC’s commitment to the city is permanent. Last year, we made specific commitments to the West Midlands to increase our TV production spend in the region. We want to do everything we can to back this region in the years ahead, and invest in its people, skills and creative economy.

Already we’ve launched a new Apprentice Hub in the city, to get more people to work in the creative sector. We’ve announced plans for additional online news provision from Wolverhampton, while the BBC News Data journalists are now based in Birmingham

From the autumn, all news content for BBC Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra and Asian Network will come from Birmingham, as we move the entirety of Newsbeat to the city. We’ll also consolidate the BBC Asian Network here.

And from 2024, MasterChef, one of our biggest brands, will be produced in Digbeth, a creative hub which is going from strength to strength.

Cillian Murphy who plays Thomas Shelby in the Peaky Blinders on set at the Black Country MuseumCillian Murphy who plays Thomas Shelby in the Peaky Blinders on set at the Black Country Museum
Cillian Murphy who plays Thomas Shelby in the Peaky Blinders on set at the Black Country Museum

Is the BBC currently filming anything in the West Midlands?

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Right now a new Children’s drama, Phoenix Rise, is filming in Coventry. Soon we’ll start filming a new drama series, Two Tone, from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, about the West Midlands music scene in the early 80s. If you didn’t see it a few weeks ago – do check My Name Is Leon on iPlayer – it’s a brilliant adaptation of Kit de Waal’s book and firmly rooted in Birmingham.

All these plans are only the beginning. We know there is still a long way to go, but we are committed to putting in the work.

Birmingham is an incredible city. It is packed full of culture, creativity, ingenuity, and passion. Brummies are welcoming, hard-working and have a wicked sense of humour.

It’s a city, region and people that deserve their place on the global stage. I’m proud to be backing its creative growth in the years ahead.

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