The Edinburgh TV Festival, Britain's largest television festival, is relocating to Manchester in 2027 after five decades in the Scottish capital. Organisers cited affordability and the city's 'genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy' as key factors in the decision.
Reasons for the Move
The festival, which attracts major media figures such as David Attenborough and Steve Coogan, had considered moving due to high costs in Edinburgh during August, when it coincides with the Edinburgh Festival and the Fringe. Shortlisted cities included Manchester, Newcastle, and Edinburgh itself. Manchester's bid to host the event in the new St John's creative and cultural district was successful.
Campbell Glennie, CEO of the TV Festival and The TV Foundation, stated: 'Greater Manchester presented a vision for the Festival that combined genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy with practical accessibility and affordability for delegates. This means we can radically reduce the costs associated with attending the Festival as well as the cost of passes.'
Impact on Manchester and the Industry
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, welcomed the move: 'Being chosen to host the TV Festival is brilliant news for Greater Manchester and speaks to the growth, success and strength of our screen sector.' She highlighted the city's ambition to become the strongest screen industry cluster outside London by 2028, backed by a £10.5 million Screen Production Fund.
Fatima Salaria, chair of the Festival board, noted that the decision balanced legacy with future opportunity: 'This was never a decision about wanting to leave Edinburgh, or about diminishing the extraordinary role Scotland has played in shaping the identity of this Festival for 50 years. But this decision had to balance legacy with future opportunity.'
Timeline and Future Plans
The final Edinburgh version of the festival will take place in August 2026. Dates for the first Manchester event in 2027 will be announced later this year. Festival directors praised Edinburgh for hosting the event for five decades and thanked Newcastle for an 'ambitious, imaginative and deeply compelling' bid.
