North East Screen welcomes Global TV industry back to Durham to do business!
Pact’s Content Without Borders conference is returning to the North East this September after a successful event for screen sector businesses in 2025. It will once again take place at the Ramside Hall Hotel in Durham.
The event welcomes Global buyers, distributors and producers working in unscripted markets, including those looking for the next big format hit, studio-based shows and factual TV series for linear and digital first platforms.
Delegates can look forward to hearing unscripted market insights, commissioner and producer priorities and challenges during panels and breakout sessions, as well as having opportunities to pitch 1-2-1 and getting to know each other over two days.
Pact Director of International & Projects, Ross Lewis:
In September 2025, Pact, in partnership with headline sponsor North East Screen, delivered a record-breaking fifth edition of Content Without Borders in the North East of England, generating over £50 million in reported potential business – more than double the previous highest-performing edition. I’m delighted to say that building on the strong and established partnership with North East Screen, Pact will return to the region for the sixth edition of Content Without Borders, focusing on the unscripted sector.
Lisa Laws, Development Director at North East Screen:
We are thrilled to host the sixth edition of Content Without Borders in our region – it builds on a strong and established partnership with pact across multiple initiatives.
The 2026 programme, which focuses on the unscripted sector, will introduce a new cohort of UK independent production companies, broadcasters and distributors to the North East and further strengthening the region’s position as a hub for international business and collaboration. This could not be better timed in terms of the rapid growth in our regions infrastructure and creative industry investments.
Content Without Borders 2026 is led and organised by Pact and has so far received confirmation of support from North East Screen, Geo Pura and Audio Network.
North East Screen talks to writer Sam Neale, one of this year’s WFTV mentoring scheme participants
North East Screen with Screen Alliance partners have once again this year supported the North of England Cohort of the prestigious Women in Film and TV Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. Last year’s cohort successfully completed the programme with rave reviews saying it was transformational and an invaluable experience.
Designed for mid-career women working in film, television, and creative media, the scheme offers unparalleled opportunities to accelerate careers in an industry where women remain underrepresented in leadership roles.
We spoke to writer Sam Neale from the North East to find out about her experience of taking part this year.
What made you want to take part in the WFTV Mentoring Scheme?
After 17 years as a professional actor and a successful transition into screenwriting, including a show in development with Channel 4 and a residency at Tyneside Cinema, I recognised a glass ceiling in my career.
While I have built a solid reputation as an artist in the North East, my professional network remained confined to my region. I lacked a writing agent and the high-level industry shorthand required to pivot from ’emerging’ to a full-time, sustainable career as a screenwriter.
Although I love the North East and how supportive our creative scene is, it can often feel like we’re cut off from the rest of the country.
The scheme sounded amazing but I was hesitant – I hadn’t considered myself “mid-career” despite the years I’d spent professionally acting on stage and screen and my many writing achievements. I had a tendency to attribute my successes to “luck” and not an indicator of my skills.
I decided to apply to the mentorship scheme to dismantle my own ‘imposter syndrome’ and to give myself the confidence to stand proudly alongside established peers, share my knowledge, pitch my work and take the next step in my career.
What has your involvement been like so far?
Our launch at Somerset House in London was a pretty transformative experience. Being in a room with highly accomplished women from all four regions immediately reframed my perspective on what ‘mid-career’ looks like. I got the chance to mingle with the mentees from all four regions and spent some focused time workshopping and getting to know my own cohort.
I met my mentor, award winning writer and director Chloe English, over Zoom and we created a plan of how our time together would work. Chloe has already shared some amazing insights into current industry landscape and I’m excited to develop our relationship as the scheme progresses.
A key highlight of the scheme are the peer-to-peer seminars. All mentees deliver a 30-minute seminar on their area of expertise. These are delivered both in person to your regional cohort and over Zoom to everyone else. Seeing the sheer variety of talent within my cohort and beyond, from all areas of production, is not only inspiring but it has helped demystify the process of making a feature film or hit television show.
How do you feel taking part in the programme will impact your career?
I believe this scheme will be the bridge between my regional success and a national presence which will hopefully lead to more creative opportunities further afield. I am currently unrepresented and I plan to build the confidence needed to approach agents and secure representation. Through Chloe’s mentorship and the knowledge garnered from attending seminars, I aim to develop the technical ‘know-how’ to take my current projects, like my short film Bean and my feature Baby Boy, to the next stage in development.
By the end of the scheme, I hope to return to my North East creative community with a broad network that allows for cross-border collaboration, ending the feeling of being ‘cut off’ from the rest of the country.
It’s hard to survive in this industry at the best of times, and I’ve definitely faced barriers as a working-class artist, juggling parenthood and the instability of work in the North East arts scene. I am incredibly grateful for this support.
WFTV will be launching their next Four Nations Mentoring Scheme very soon, so if you’re interested in the programme look out for application details on their website and social media.
Shot in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, as well as Cologne, Germany, and supported by the North East Production Fund, Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on 19 June 2026
The film, starring Haley Bennett, Elyas M’Barek, Lily Allen, Jack Whitehall, Sally Phillips with Jennifer Saunders and Timothy Spall received the red carpet treatment as part of SXSW London’s opening night celebrations on 1st June.
Based on the novel by Virgina Woolf, the film is an un-romantic comedy about a passionate astronomer, Katherine Hilbery (played by Haley Bennet), who does everything she can to avoid romantic love and marriage.
Fun and contemporary in tone, this refreshing film showcases an ensemble of humorous performances, set against the ravishing backdrop of London and Cambridge in 1910, advances in science and technology, the suffragette movement and crumbing Edwardian patriarchy.
The film also stars Jack Whitehall as Katharine’s constant confidant, Jennifer Saunders and Timothy Spall as her parents, Sally Phillips as Cousin Joan and Lily Allen as straight-talking, fearless, funny suffragette Mary.
Gayle Woodruffe, Operations Director at North East Screen said;
“This period piece is just one of the productions to be supported by the North East Production Fund. Our rich heritage is reflected in the locations used which double up for London including Beamish in County Durham, The Common Room and The Lit in Phil in the centre of Newcastle. We’re proud of our world class filming locations and it’s great to see such phenomenal talent working here led by North East Director Tina Gharavi alongside a number of local crew.”
The North East Production Fund has supported the North East by bringing more GVA: £65m over the past 3 years.
This production is supported by the North East Production Fund delivered on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) by North East Screen.
Robson Green brings BBC’s Made Of Here campaign to Alnwick Castle
One of the North East’s best known screen stars has voiced a unique BBC film projected onto the landmark Alnwick Castle.
Robson Green provided the voiceover for the distinctive footage which was created to underline the BBC’s commitment to homegrown storytelling from the region.
Robson has returned to work in the region on The Northumbria Mysteries, a new daytime drama currently being filmed on location in Northumberland in which he stars as ex-convict and gambler Joe Ruby. It has been confirmed today that Robson’s co-star will be Liz White (Life on Mars; Call the Midwife) who plays Oxford-educated DI Rose O’Connell.
Other cast members include Simon Callow, Kevin Whately, Gurjeet Singh and Chris Gascoyne.
Filming locations include Brinkburn Priory, Alnmouth, Dunstanburgh Castle, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Morpeth, Eglingham, Rothbury, Embleton and Beadnell.
Later this year, Robson will again be on home turf to make a new programme, Growing Home with Robson Green, which will be filmed on location in the garden at his 350-year-old cottage on the banks of the Tyne.
Robson said: “The North East is rich in stories and in the people who tell them best. Seeing some of our most loved programmes, places and distinct identity projected onto Alnwick Castle and set against the Northumberland night sky, has been a real joy. I’m incredibly proud to be from here and it’s definitely a place of straight talkers and hard grafters.
“The programmes featured in the film, alongside my new series The Northumbria Mysteries and Growing Home, are not only made in the North East – they are made of it and reflect the character, voice and spirit of this special place.”
Other BBC content from the region includes:
New comedy Sarnies, written by and starring Elijah Young (Smoggie Queens) and produced by Gateshead based company Candle & Bell will be filmed in June. Set in a sandwich shop in Newcastle’s iconic Bigg Market, Sarnies follows aspiring manager Sharon as she does her best to keep staff and new recruit Christopher, out of messy situations. The 10-minute short is exec produced by Chris Foggin (Bank of Dave).
The second series of the Middlesbrough-set and filmed Smoggie Queens now available on BBC iPlayer.
The BBC has commissioned a new mural of the five key cast members in Middlesbrough town centre.
A new adaptation of Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, being filmed this spring in and around Hartlepool and Sunderland.
New CBBC series The Lady Grace Mysteries, filmed partly in County Durham and available on iPlayer.
The Dickie Show, a spin-off from Smoggie Queens, available on the BBC’s official YouTube channel and iPlayer.
Earlier this week, the region played host to Radio 1’s Big Weekend, when thousands of people converged on Herrington Country Park in Sunderland to hear standout sets from the likes of Olivia Dean, Zara Larsson, Ellie Goulding and Niall Horan and DJs including Fatboy Slim. The weekend demonstrated the BBC’s unique ability to bring people together.
The BBC’s activity in the region overall contributed more than £133 million to the North East, supporting 2,314 full time equivalent jobs in 2024/25 according to BBC analysis supported by EY. Across the region’s audiovisual sector the BBC accounts for 27% of economic activity.
The agreement between the BBC and North East Screen Industry Partnership (NESIP), backed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, delivered by North East Screen, will continue to strengthen and broaden production activity and skills produced from the region.
Helen Munson, BBC Commissioning Editor Daytime and Early Peak said: “I’m proud to be working with Gateshead based production company Signpost Entertainment to bring Growing Home with Robson Green to audiences across the UK. Filmed and made here in the North East in Robson’s actual garden (thanks Robson!) it will make even the least green fingered of us want to get outdoors and make the most of whatever outside space we have.
“I’m also incredibly excited about our new casting announcements for The Northumbria Mysteries which shows the scale and ambition of our new drama filming here in the region over the summer. The passion and skills being poured into these productions by local talent demonstrates that this is a region with ambition, and it feels like we are only just getting started.”
Smoggie Queens, The Lady Grace Mysteries, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, The Northumbria Mysteries and Growing Home with RobsonGreen are supported by the North East Production Fund delivered on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) by North East Screen.
North East Screen chief executive Alison Gwynn said: “The North East has always been full of creativity, resilience and brilliant storytelling. Having the BBC behind us means more of our stories reaching global audiences which means more local jobs, more training pathways, and more chances for people from every corner of our region to be part of a thriving screen industry – Smoggie Queens is a great example of that working really well – from an award-winning writer and performers and heads of department to opening up more entry level pathways.
“The renewed MOU commitment from BBC recognises our region’s strength and positions us as a key player in the UK’s future screen landscape. The extension shows the BBC believes in the North East, as a welcoming home to major productions thanks to our stunning world-class locations, crew and facilities.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “I’ve always been clear I want our creative talents to have the success they deserve in the region, without needing to head off to the capital. That’s why I’m putting creative jobs at the heart of my plans for growth.
“We’re already seeing production ramp up in the North East, creating more opportunities for the amazing talent we have in the region. And earlier this year we announced record funding to boost creative skills and build the region’s first film studio to sustain that growth.
“This is about putting our region on the map as a production hub. The BBC clearly recognises what we have to offer, and I want more North East stories getting the screentime they deserve, being told by North East creatives.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “This partnership with the BBC has played a hugely important role in supporting our ambition to establish our region as a growing centre for the creative and digital industries.
“The extension will develop even more opportunities to showcase our incredible locations and outstanding local talent, while building on our reputation as a leading destination for TV and film-making.
“On top of our investment in first-class facilities at Hartlepool’s Northern Studios, it will also further support the development of local skills, inspire greater ambition, and help local people see that they can build a successful career in TV and film right here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
BBC’s Smoggie Queens brought to life with Middlesbrough mural
The stars of award-winning BBC comedy Smoggie Queens have been captured in a striking mural officially unveiled today in Middlesbrough town centre.
The artwork has been created by Middlesbrough artist Stephen Irving – working as Zero Gradient – and has been commissioned by the BBC as part of the Made Of Here campaign. The mural celebrates the stars of Smoggie Queens who are depicted in character in front of the landmark Tees Transporter Bridge.
The mural’s unveiling marks the return of the show for its second series on 15 May on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. Smoggie Queens was written by RTS winner and BAFTA nominated Middlesbrough native Phil Dunning, as well as being filmed and set in the town, making it utterly ‘Made Of Boro’.
Highlighting the BBC’s commitment to homegrown storytelling, the five metres by five metres mural is located on a wall at the Cleveland Centre on Grange Road in Middlesbrough’s shopping area.
Series two promises to bring more slapstick and silly laughs, with some excellent one liners from Dickie (Phil Dunning), and a copious amount of joy for viewers as Mam (Mark Benton), Lucinda (Alexandra Mardell), Sal (Patsy Lowe) and Stewart (Elijah Young) are back in the Boro showing what the North East is made of.
The mural comes during an exciting period for the BBC in the region, following an announcement that it has committed a further £15m of investment by 2027, taking total Network TV commissioning spend in the North East to at least £40m. Radio 1’s Big Weekend has taken place in Sunderland from 22 to 24 May; new drama The Northumbria Mysteries, starring Robson Green, is to be filmed on location in Northumberland, while filming for The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ is underway in Hartlepool and Sunderland. On 21 May, BBC Academy’s Production Unlocked event, for industry professionals and newcomers, came to Newcastle.
BBC Commissioning Editor Gregor Sharp said: “Everyone involved with Smoggie Queens was over the moon when we heard about the idea for a mural in Middlesbrough and the final design has absolutely delivered.
“To see Dickie, Mam, Lucinda, Sal and Stewart immortalised alongside the Tees Transporter Bridge, right in their home town, is fantastic.
“The BBC is proud to have commissioned a show that is filmed in, set in and unmistakably made of Middlesbrough. We hope fans enjoy visiting the mural and taking plenty of selfies and that it prompts people to check out the show.”
The project has been made possible by Middlesbrough Council, which owns the location.
Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said: “Smoggie Queens is absolutely brilliant and we’re so proud it’s filmed here.
“The show is full of the humour and personality of Middlesbrough so we were really pleased to support the mural.
“I’m sure fans of the show will head down for photos in between enjoying the new episodes from series 2.”
The creator of Smoggie Queens, Phil Dunning, said: “Some of the best things about making Smoggie Queens have been filming in all my old haunts, employing talented people from the area and shining a light on all the creativity that you can find in Boro.
“To see that now captured in Stephen’s mural is mint. Dickie, Mam, Lucinda, Sal and Stewart would be so happy.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said:
“This partnership with the BBC has played a hugely important role in supporting our ambition to establish our region as a growing centre for the creative and digital industries.
“This extension will develop even more opportunities to showcase our incredible locations and outstanding local talent, while building on our reputation as a leading destination for TV and film-making.
“On top of our investment in first-class facilities at Hartlepool’s Northern Studios, it will also further support the development of local skills, inspire greater ambition, and help local people see that they can build a successful career in TV and film right here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“I’ve always been clear I want our creative talents to have the success they deserve in the region, without needing to head off to the capital. That’s why I’m putting creative jobs at the heart of my plans for growth.
“We’re already seeing production ramp up in the North East, creating more opportunities for the amazing talent we have in the region. And earlier this year we announced record funding to boost creative skills and build the region’s first film studio to sustain that growth.
“This is about putting our region on the map as a production hub. The BBC clearly recognises what we have to offer, and I want more North East stories getting the screentime they deserve, being told by North East creatives.”
Smoggie Queens is a Hat Trick Production for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three and with funding support from The North East Production Fund delivered by North East Screen and with worldwide distribution by Hat Trick International, is available in the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland and Spain (to date).
The series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy. The producer is Chris Jones. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp. Series 2 is directed by Tom Marshall.
Smoggie Queens series 1 and 2 is available on BBC iPlayer.
From Made Of Boro to Made Of Brum, the BBC is spotlighting the stories and storytellers that are made of the very fabric of places right across the country through its Made Of Here campaign.
Homegrown creativity – rooted in the communities of everywhere from Manchester to Cardiff, Shetland to West Yorkshire and the Home Counties to Belfast – sits at the very core of what the BBC does.
£2.3m BFI National Lottery Funding for Screen Alliance North secured for another 3 years
Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire, the four screen agencies who make up Screen Alliance North (BFI Skills Cluster North of England), are delighted that funding, which secures training and development support for the screen sector in the North of England for the next 3 years, has been awarded.
The BFI announced today that £11.85 million of BFI National Lottery funding will be invested across the UK to continue to support the screen production workforce through the BFI Skills Clusters which were launched in 2023.
In its latest year of activity, Screen Alliance North programmes have supported 4,056 participants and 6,112 students across the North of England, with more than 30,000 people reached over the last three years.
The BFI Skills Cluster North of England, formed in April 2023 by the four northern screen agencies, has continued its work to address skills gaps in the screen industry and broaden access to opportunities across the region. Over the past 3 years this has included the delivery of placements, mentoring, training and apprenticeships across all four agencies.
Working in close partnership with its Advisory Group, industry collaborators and sponsors, the alliance has progressed from ambition to meaningful action, focusing on key priority areas to drive tangible change across the industry. During this time, it has also initiated vital crew mapping and data collection, ensuring that its future activity remains closely aligned with the evolving needs of the sector.
Caroline Cooper Charles, Chief Executive of Screen Yorkshire and lead partner said;
“Coming together as an Alliance three years ago has really shaped the screen industry across the North. Not only has it allowed us to share knowledge, data and networks, it has strengthened our power to lobby, affect change and improve working practices.
Our Connected Campus programme now works with over 30 educational institutions across the North helping to bridge the gap between education and industry. Our Connected Skills programmes are opening doors to careers across the production workforce. Shadowing and trainee placements are leading to jobs and continuing professional development for our established crews is ensuring a more inclusive and responsible workplace culture.
We are proud of the work that has been achieved so far and the impact it is making on the Northern workforce. We are pleased to have been awarded a further 3 years of funding to continue the momentum of the partnership and collaboration with wider industry.”
Year 3 highlights include the launch of ‘Into the Lead’, a new development programme for senior leaders within independent production companies; a series of job-sharing online sessions; and industry partnerships with CBBC’s The Dumping Ground and BBC’s Smoggie Queens, Waterloo Road and This City is Ours, creating valuable shadowing and trainee placement opportunities. Trainees have also been placed on high end television and feature film productions including House of Guinness, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, A Gentleman in Moscow and Finding Emily. Further achievements include the delivery of Screen Crafts and Digital Skills bootcamps, the Action! training scheme and a successful roll out in Manchester, Liverpool and the North East of the Clusters Connected Campus initiative
Penny Hall, Partnership Lead at Screen Alliance North said;
“In Year 3 we have deepened our work on skills development, workforce inclusion and mental health support, responding directly to industry needs and regional opportunities. By aligning training provision, sharing best practice and championing equitable access to careers, we have strengthened pathways into the industry and improved support for the existing workforce.
The progress made over the past three years shows what can be achieved when northern screen agencies work together strategically. Through building trusted relationships across the sector and establishing effective ways to coordinate our efforts, we have laid strong foundations for long-term regional collaboration.”
Looking ahead to the next three years, Screen Alliance North will focus on building a more sustainable and resilient workforce, with a strong commitment to supporting talent from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. It will expand provision for mid-level step-up placements, embed future-facing skills across all areas of activity, invest significantly in data and insight, and extend its geographical reach across the North.
For full details of Screen Alliance North’s impact in Year 3, read the full review here
How an innovative programme for scripted film and TV companies across the North of England is helping build a more skilled and accessible joined-up screen sector.
As a new leadership programme for the screen sector, Into the Lead, comes to a close, Screen Alliance North is celebrating an exceptional group of SME leaders who are transforming the scripted screen sector in the North of England as they navigate industry changes, leverage new technologies and nurture positive workplace cultures.
Delivered by Under The Moon Ltd and Creaticity Ltd on behalf of the four Northern regional screen organisations that together make up Screen Alliance North, the programme set the stage for unprecedented collaboration, igniting fresh momentum and new possibilities among independent businesses across the North.
“Into the Lead has been a gamechanger for the scripted screen indies in the North, empowering leaders to dream bigger and act bolder and encouraging them to build a more sustainable future, one that embraces innovation and puts people, and the environment first. Collaboration is no longer just a buzzword – it’s the driving force behind our brightest creative breakthroughs,” says Penny Hall, partnerships lead at Screen Alliance North.
The 17 scripted Into the Lead participants selected for the programme are already leveraging new knowledge and connections they’ve gained – creating original IP, pioneering innovative formats, securing new funding and breaking down regional boundaries for the first time.
“It’s such a powerful statement about leadership, ambition and creative confidence outside London,” says one participant, with another adding “This programme has arrived at exactly the right time, offering me space to reflect, not just on projects but on how to lead people and ideas in a shifting industry.”
Most remarkable of all, this cohort has forged an enduring peer network – a powerhouse of advice, opportunity and unwavering support, continuing well beyond the formal programme.
As a third participant says, “I can already see how the peer network created through this training will be an important source of support, insight and collaboration going forward.”
In a sector undergoing rapid transformation, Into the Lead sends a rallying call: leadership development, strategic vision and regional collaboration aren’t just desirable – they’re the bedrock of a bold, accessible and sustainable screen industry.
Running between January and March 2026, Into The Lead consisted of an in-person networking event and six modules featuring presentations, industry speakers and collaborative challenges. It was specifically designed to upskill business leaders in good working practice, sustainability and inclusivity and to help business leaders respond to shifting commissioning models, longer development cycles and growing pressure to diversify income – challenges that have become increasingly familiar across the UK screen industry. Specific sessions were delivered in partnership with partners BAFTA Albert and the BFI’s Workwise for Screen Programme.
“Strong companies need strong leaders. Programmes like this are the lifeblood of creative business – powering survival, adaptation and dynamic growth,” says Ruth Pitt, Programme Director.
The North is ready to lead the change in sustainable TV and Film production
Screen Alliance North, the skills cluster made up of Liverpool Film Office, North East Screen, Screen Manchester and Screen Yorkshire, is proud to launch the first cohort of their Sustainability Managers Training programme. This is the first-ever training course built specifically on the newly created National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Sustainability Managers.
8 TV and Film professionals from across the North of England will take part in a newly developed course, supported by the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding. The course will be focused on practical, professional outcomes that will allow participants to lead transformation on set and is the first head of department level training for sustainable production roles.
Sally Mills, course lead and sustainability programme director:
This is the first course to align with the pioneering Sustainability National Occupational Standards, launched by ScreenSkills, the BFI and BAFTA albert, with the support of our TV and Film industry last year. It will ensure sustainability is a core, expertly-managed part of every production across the North.
We are combining intensive theory, led by experts, with a practical 8-10 week production placement. This course will equip professionals with the skills needed to protect and celebrate the environment, reduce carbon emissions and create a more climate conscious production sector, whilst always making great programmes.
The first cohort consists of professionals with a background in film or TV from Production Management and Location roles to Heads of Departments. Leading sustainability figures in the industry will be guest speakers including Logan Jackson at Netflix, Charlotte Ashby, Head of Production at Carnival Films, Tom Gray, Head of Nature Positive at the BBC, Michael Largey of BAFTA Albert and Phil Holdgate, Head of Production Sustainability at ITV Studios.
Penny Hall, Screen Alliance North Partnership Lead:
We are aiming for the North to be a beacon of sustainable production, where we lead, innovate, guide and share knowledge on sustainability practices. Participants on this tailored course will gain the skills to navigate the climate landscape, master carbon competence, build strategic sustainability plans, drive cultural change within productions, and develop advanced problem-solving expertise. We are excited to equip these professionals with the vital skills to help the progression of our industry and the preservation of our planet.
The BBC has released a first-look picture and announced casting for The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, as filming begins on the new series for the BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Based on Sue Townsend’s best-selling book of the same name, the nine-part series is being adapted for the screen by David Nicholls (One Day, Us) and made by Big Talk Studios, part of ITV Studios, for the BBC.
Oliver Savell (Changing Ends, Belfast) will star as the iconic Adrian Mole. Oliver received a BAFTA nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance in 2025 and is nominated again at the upcoming 2026 awards. He also won Best Male Comedy Performance at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in 2025, with a further nomination in 2026.
Alongside Oliver as Adrian, Lisa McGrillis (Rivals, Mum) plays his mother Pauline and Colin Hoult (After Life, Slow Horses) plays his father George. Pam Ferris (Matilda, Darling Buds of May) joins the cast as Grandma, Galaxie Clear (Extra Geography, Secret Service) as Pandora and Alun Armstrong (The Choral, Breeders) as Bert.
Other cast also announced today include Jude Forsey as Nigel, Rory Keenan as Mr Lucas, David Wilmot as Mr Scruton and Karl Collins as Mr Cherry.
The adaptation is also being written by Caitlin Moran and Caroline Moran (Raised By Wolves), Dillon Mapletoft and Oliver Taylor (Everyone Else Burns) and Jack Rooke (Big Boys).
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ marks the return of an iconic British character to our screens. It’s New Year’s Day 1981 and Adrian starts his uniquely funny diary about family life and being a teenager before the advent of mobile phones and social media. With only a multi-coloured ballpoint pen as his guide, Adrian worries about his spots, his parents’ divorce, the torment of first love and the fact he’s never seen a female nipple. This vivid portrait of suburban life in Britain shows how much we have changed while staying the same. The result is a timeless family drama that is as warm and funny as it is sad and poignant.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ (9×30’) is a Big Talk Studios production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. The series was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. The director is Alex Winckler (Somewhere Boy, Mary and George) and the producer is Charlotte Robinson (A Thousand Blows).
The executive producers are Kenton Allen and Luke Alkin for Big Talk Studios, and David Nicholls and Alex Winckler. The estate of Sue Townsend is represented by Jane Villiers at Sayle Screen. Big Talk Studios is part of ITV Studios. Filming is underway in and around Hartlepool and Sunderland and the series is due to air next year.
The production is supported by the North East Production Fund delivered on behalf of the North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) by North East Screen.
North East Production Company Lonesome Pine Brings New BBC Drama The Northumbria Mysteries to the Region
Northumberland is set to take centre stage in a brand new BBC drama, The Northumbria Mysteries, with Newcastle‑based Lonesome Pine Productions creating and filming the eight‑part series in the region. Supported by North East Screen through the North East Production Fund, the show will bring a fresh detective story to life across some of the county’s most distinctive landscapes.
Starring North East actor Robson Green, the series follows Joe Ruby, a jack‑of‑all‑trades whose past catches up with him as he becomes entangled in a series of mysteries. Set entirely in the region, the drama promises to showcase Northumberland’s unique character – both in its landscapes and its communities – while highlighting the strength of storytelling rooted here.
The production marks another significant moment for the North East following the BBC’s renewed commitment to the region through their MOU, which extends its collaboration with local partners through to 2027. For companies like Lonesome Pine, now one of 8 North East businesses regularly commissioned for television — a number that has quadrupled in recent years — it reflects the growing scale and ambition of projects being developed locally.
Support from the North East Production Fund is enabling productions such as The Northumbria Mysteries to base more of their work in the region, drawing on local crew, facilities and expertise. With more high‑end scripted series choosing to film here, the Fund continues to help anchor projects that both celebrate and strengthen the North East’s creative identity.
Gayle Woodruffe – Operations Director, North East Screen:
Lonesome Pine’s Lesley Douglas has made a real commitment to the North East since returning to the region and has not only brought drama from 5 but now our first homegrown BBC drama in the shape of The Northumbrian Mysteries. It’s a real pleasure to support them not only with the North East Production Fund but also with our joint ambition around skills and to find the very best locations for what I’m sure will be a great success. Looking forward to working with them on many more north east ventures.
The Northumbria Mysteries adds a compelling new chapter to the region’s expanding screen portfolio – bringing new drama, new opportunities and a fresh spotlight on the North East’s world‑class talent and locations.
