The BBC and Northern Ireland Screen have extended their partnership agreement, paving the way for returning and new dramas to be made in Northern Ireland.
Seven dramas, including The Fall, Line Of Duty, My Mother And Other Strangers and Paula, have been produced under the original partnership and in the next phase the BBC will spend a minimum of three per cent of its network television budget in Northern Ireland.
Productions arising from the deal will span a range of genres, including drama, children’s, animation, factual and entertainment, feature documentary and independent film.
Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said: “I am delighted we have renewed our partnership with Northern Ireland Screen.
“It has been fantastically successful. Who wouldn’t want more successes like Line Of Duty and The Fall? I’m looking forward to seeing the future gems it will produce.
“Training is also something I’ve always cared about. The BBC can make a real difference and Aim High will provide transformative opportunities for new talent in the industry.”
Rotha Johnston, Chair Northern Ireland Screen, added: “Northern Ireland Screen believes in combining resources and thinking bigger.
“The list of projects supported by both the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen illustrates that we are beginning to deliver the scale and stability needed to have a world-class screen industry in Northern Ireland.
“It also illustrates that through partnership we can lever further additional investment from beyond the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen.”