New wave of Wales-made productions set to deliver £50.6million spend
Ton newydd o gynyrchiadau a wnaed yng Nghymru i ddarparu gwariant gwerth £50.6 miliwn
Nine new TV projects have been approved for Welsh Government funding support so far this year, creating a slate of ambitious scripted shows that are set to bring an additional £50.6million into the Welsh economy.
Supported by just under £4million in Welsh Government investment via Creative Wales, this latest round of support highlights Wales' growing reputation as a world-class destination for high-quality screen production.
It follows a string of recent made in Wales hit productions including HBO’s House of the Dragon (Season 2 and 3), Industry (Season 4), Under Salt Marsh, The Other Bennett Sister, Madfabulous and Amazon’s Young Sherlock - all of which have benefited from Creative Wales production funding.
Among the newly approved, but yet to be announced projects, four are from indigenous Welsh production companies, one is a Welsh language production and one is a back-to-back series, meaning both Welsh language and English language versions will be produced. Of the nine productions approved, seven will portray authentically Welsh stories.
Support has also been agreed for a major international show backed by a leading international production company whose presence in Wales will add to the list of global partners now using Wales as a base for productions.
The nine newly approved projects include animation, high end TV, comedy and drama – and align with Creative Wales’ strategic focus on continuing to build a sustainable, long-term TV and film production sector in Wales.
Jack Sargeant, Minister for Creative, said:
"Wales has never been a more exciting place to make television. These upcoming productions clearly signal our film and TV sector is going from strength to strength, repeatedly attracting major international partners and all whilst nurturing indigenous talent and companies that make Welsh storytelling so distinctive.
"From Welsh-language drama to back-to-back productions and potential international blockbusters, the list of newly approved productions show real breadth and ambition.
“With an estimated additional £50.6million set to come into the Welsh economy, this is more than good news for the screen industry - it's good news for the crews, freelancers, businesses and communities right across Wales who’ll benefit too.
"Building on the success of productions like soon-to-air third season of House of the Dragon or the newly released Young Sherlock on Amazon, we're continuing to invest in a sector that puts Wales on the world stage - and I, like many, can't wait to see these new projects come to life."
Quay Street Productions are one of the nine projects to have been approved this year. Sam McMillon, Chief Operating Officer at ITV Studios Company, Quay Street Productions, said:
"We’re thrilled to be developing and producing new work in Wales and to be working once again with Creative Wales. Having filmed projects such as Men Up and The Guest in and around Swansea, Cardiff and the Gower Peninsular we’ve seen first‑hand how invaluable this support is in enabling ambitious, distinctive storytelling while embedding productions locally, from crew and talent to locations. We’re excited about what’s ahead and looking forward to returning to bring our next project to life.”
The Creative Wales Production Funding scheme supports Wales-based TV, film, games and animation production for Welsh, UK and international audiences.
Alongside driving economic impact, the scheme prioritises sustainable productions, and the development of a skilled, diverse workforce across the country.
Since its inception in 2020, Creative Wales has awarded over £35.5million of production funding to 74 projects, securing over £434million of spend back into the Welsh economy.
For more information about the Creative Wales Production Funding scheme, visit www.creative.wales
Notes to editors
Creative Wales works to drive growth and promote success across Wales’ thriving creative industries. As part of the Welsh Government, our remit includes supporting the Screen sector (Film and TV productions, including post-production and animated content).
Since launching in 2020, Creative Wales has been supporting home-grown indies to develop high quality content and has attracted investment from the world’s most notable production companies and streaming services including HBO, Netflix and Amazon, positioning Wales as a world-class filming destination.
The screen sector plays a major role in the Welsh economy and is a key employer. The latest industry research data (2024*) reports that Film and TV production achieved £568m turnover in 2024 and is home to 695 companies that create significant freelance and trainee opportunities for our workforce. The number of companies operating in Wales has increased by almost 20% since 2019, reflecting sustained growth across this sector. Creative Wales has invested in 74 projects through Production Funding alone, generating almost half a billion pounds in economic return to the nation, and these numbers continue to grow.
In addition to our offer of bespoke funding support and advice, Wales boasts stunning, diverse locations, as well as world-class studio facilities, post-production and a talented crew base. Notable made in Wales productions include House of the Dragon (HBO), Industry (BBC|HBO), His Dark Materials (BBC|HBO), Mr Burton (Icon) and H is for Hawk (Lionsgate).
We are passionate about ensuring the long-term success of the Film and TV industry , and work closely with productions to create apprenticeships, trainee placements and up-skilling opportunities throughout people’s careers, while promoting best practice around wellbeing, sustainability and inclusivity.
The screen sector in Wales has a higher proportion of people with disabilities in its workforce than the Welsh and UK averages.
To find out more about Production Funding and our Wales Screen service, visit creative.wales. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Watch our showreel here.
*Data source: Creative Wales Business and Labour Market Statistics 2024