The BBC is developing Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight’s new TV drama that’s based in a Birmingham university.
Steven Knight’s new project doesn’t yet have a title, but the BBC seems optimistic about its potential. The broadcaster is reportedly looking at turning it into a returnable series, according to Deadline.
Little is known about the story of the show, except that it’ll follow the lives of a group of young adults studying in one of Birmingham’s universities. It’s currently in the early stages of development, but already it’s being potentially lined up for a primetime spot.
As well as creating the series, Knight is serving as lead writer in a writers’ room filled with younger writers. Given that one of the big concerns that prompted the US writers’ strike was the depleting size of writers’ rooms, it’s encouraging to hear that Knight is working with a full team and providing job opportunities for young storytellers.
Much like Peaky Blinders, his new series is also being produced in the north – great news given how London-centric the industry has been historically (and to an extent still is). Production is set to be based in Knight’s new multi-million pound Digbeth Loc. Studios in the West Midlands, which opened a few months ago.
Read more: Robert Downey Jr and Steven Knight on board for Vertigo remake
The studio has finally emerged after eight years of Knight working on the idea. The producer told The Guardian that he wanted to set up a studio in Birmingham not just to capitalise on the vast amount of ‘TV tourism’ the area gets, but also to raise its profile as a place to produce TV and film. The upcoming Peaky Blinders movie is set to be produced at Digbeth Loc, too.
Economically speaking, the studio is set to create 700 jobs and pump £30m into the local economy.
We’re excited to see the Peaky Blinders creator’s new show take shape, especially if it means having more excellent TV produced outside of London.
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