You could be forgiven for thinking sport was a national obsession this summer.听 Lucky then the bulk of the UK's coverage is produced by 成人论坛 teams based at our MediaCity home in the North for 成人论坛 Television, Radio 5 live and our 成人论坛 Sport website.
For the next few weeks we will be preoccupied with听The Big Summer of Sport: the听听first, the from Royal Liverpool and then Glasgow for the听.听 And that extraordinary cycling weekend when the听听comes to the glorious Yorkshire countryside and its cities, towns and villages 鈥� 成人论坛 6Music and Radio Leeds will be broadcasting from the start line too.
But there's much more being produced and supported by the 成人论坛 here than just great sport.
Our spring / summer burst of top class drama is in full flow 鈥� watch out for our Great British Drama 鈥� Made in the North听TV trails soon: on 成人论坛 One听Happy Valley听took West Yorkshire's grit and beauty to new levels 鈥� and audiences and approval ratings too; in听From There to Here听Philip Glenister strode through a decade of British political and social life beginning with Manchester's 1996 IRA bomb; soon it's Kay Mellor's Leeds based Rollem Productions'听In The Club, a six-part 成人论坛 One series about a group of colourful, expectant Northern mums and dads; and Jimmy McGovern's campaigning听Common听from Liverpool's LA Productions, which tackles the UK's controversial common enterprise law.听 The autumn promises similar strong North of England-made 成人论坛 dramas听like听The Village听and听.
This week we are also in Sheffield where the world's leading documentary festival has opened.听 The is a magnet for thousands of programme makers and buyers.听 It's also the premiere of our 成人论坛 Four听听feature听Love Is All, which I can't wait to introduce in the grounds of Chatsworth, with a score by former Pulp guitarist extraordinaire Richard Hawley.听
It's听听too 鈥� part of 成人论坛 Radio 2's听听鈥� the eagerly awaited sitcom pilot from Lucy Beaumont.听 Lucy organises a car boot sale so she can leave Humberside and become a famous actress 鈥� the only trouble is she doesn't have a car.听 It's highly recommended 鈥� live or on 成人论坛 Radio iPlayer.听 I have a feeling Lucy, who won the 成人论坛 New Comedy Award, will be featuring heavily in our听Hull 2017 City of Culture听coverage.
Liverpool is a city to visit this summer as it's bursting with some of the most imaginative events in the UK supported by 成人论坛 regional and network coverage 鈥� from the听International Festival of Business to the Tate's听Mondrian听exhibition, the Biennial's stunning听Dazzle Ship听displays and听Royal De Luxe听street parades 鈥� the latter both marking the 100th听anniversary of the outbreak of the World War One.听 And this Friday 成人论坛 Radio Merseyside and 成人论坛 Radio 6Music kick off the city's Music on the Waterfront Festival.听 6Music DJ Craig Charles and guests play a free, live set at Pier Head.
The North East has certainly seen a lot of the 成人论坛 lately too.听 Catch Radio 4's听听on Mondays, a series recorded in its entirety at Doxford Hall near Alnwick in Northumberland; the over the half term holidays to entertain 35,000 people for free on the banks of the Tyne with shows from听Blue Peter, Sam and Mark听and听C成人论坛 Newsround.听 Our hit series听, shot at lovely Rowland's Gill, has just finished recording too.听 The North East is fast becoming a centre for great children's drama production, as it's now also home to听听and听Hatty's War, two other popular C成人论坛 series 鈥� a great credit to programme talent there.
成人论坛 Children's has in fact become a leading producer of TV for the 成人论坛 made in the North.听 Just this month听So Awkward听moved into Radcliffe Riverside High School near Bury to shoot a comedy series about three geeky 12 year old girls coping with life, love and embarrassing parents; and the听Hank Zipzer听team 鈥� including legendary actor Henry Winkler 鈥� will be in Halifax from later this month for series number two shot there.听 What's wonderful is the new employment and training this creates too and the support for digital and craft skills in the region.听 On that note, we have just launched our first in IT, software and web technologies to be based in Salford听鈥撎齛longside our 60 other new apprentices and ambassadors.听 Our new recruits will work on everything from CBeebies to iPlayer 鈥� and the details are on the听听until 22nd听June.听
I am really looking forward to catching up with the team behind our latest 成人论坛 One drama set in the North West,听Our Zoo, based on the real life origins of Chester Zoo and featuring everything from penguins to camels.听 When I visit them this week they've got a bear making an appearance听鈥撎齭o wish me luck.
Finally, enjoy our听 鈥� the first truly 24/7 football tournament 鈥� with content from more than 60 matches available around the clock on all manner of devices supported from our MediaCity base.听 It's great news that our partners ITV and ourselves have just secured听 as well 鈥� superb international matches available free to air for years to come.
It's听听soon too on the 成人论坛 of course 鈥� anyone for tennis?
Peter Salmon is Director, England
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