Channel 4 has announced plans to move a new headquarters to Leeds.
The broadcaster picked the new national HQ in Leeds over Birmingham, Greater Manchester and Cardiff.
The channel will move approximately 200 of the 800 staff in London to the new location, whilst Bristol and Glasgow will become new ‘creative hubs’.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: “The Government made clear that Channel 4 needed to do more to increase its presence in the regions to help better reflect and provide for UK audiences outside of London.”
“Congratulations to Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow, and I look forward to Channel 4 taking further steps to increase its impact around the UK in the years ahead.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has welcomed the news of Channel 4’s new creative hub in Glasgow, which will be home to 50 employees.
Sturgeon said it was “fantastic news for Scotland’s screen sector and creative industries”.
“As home to one of the most vibrant cultural scenes in Scotland, BBC Scotland, STV and more than 120 production companies – I am pleased Channel 4 has recognised Glasgow is the ideal location for one of their new hubs.”
Alex Mahon, who is the chief executive of Channel 4, said: “We undertook a rigorous process over the last seven months and the high calibre of all the pitches meant those were incredibly difficult decisions to make.”
“However, I know that Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow will best deliver our objectives to grow the production sector across the UK, build the pipeline of creative talent outside London and support our increased investment in programming produced across the nations and regions.”
“Glasgow has a well-established production sector across multiple genres, and locating a creative hub in the city will give Channel 4 the opportunity to tap into the rich cultural diversity of Scotland and also allow us to exploit the city’s strong connectivity with Belfast and the Northern Ireland production sector,” he added.
