Four North East production companies have each been awarded £100,000 to develop new digital entertainment projects as part of an initiative designed to help the region’s screen industry reach new audiences.
The £400,000 investment from the BBC and North East Screen will support ideas ranging from globe-trotting adventures and competitive arm-wrestling to practical DIY advice, health information and a new YouTube entertainment channel.
County Durham-based Adventure Alliance Films, Gateshead’s FilmNova, Newcastle’s Northern Child and Middlesbrough’s Wander Films have been selected for the next stage of the Digital Accelerator programme following a competitive process, which began a year ago at a packed out event at ARC Stockton.
The initiative is responding to a shift in how audiences, particularly younger viewers, discover and consume entertainment, with platforms such as YouTube and TikTok creating opportunities for production companies beyond traditional television commissioning.
Launched with £600,000 of backing from the BBC and the North East Screen Industries Partnership, the programme is an experimental pilot designed to help regional businesses develop digital-first content, explore new revenue streams and build sustainable businesses.
The four successful companies will receive industry support and access to commissioners and digital specialists as they develop their projects.
For Adventure Alliance Films, the investment will support a new strand of adventure entertainment featuring Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes, better known as The Sidecar Guys.
The pair will return to their signature three-wheeled transport for a series combining travel, discovery and comedy as they explore places, people and challenges around the world.
FilmNova is taking a different approach, developing a digital entertainment format built around competitive arm-wrestling.
Combining live events, sporting rivalries, audience interaction and online personalities, the company hopes to create a competition with appeal beyond traditional sports audiences.
Northern Child will use its funding to launch two new digital brands, both built around on-screen talent.
The first, Just Do It Yourself! (working title), will combine practical DIY advice with entertaining formats, helping viewers tackle jobs around the home and potentially save money.
The second, Doctor, Is This Normal? (working title), will explore everyday health concerns from a patient’s perspective, using a purpose-built clinic to provide information about common symptoms and conditions.
Northern Child managing director Andrew Eastel said: “Digital content opportunities are becoming increasingly important to the future of the production industry, and the North East is well placed to embrace that.
“There is an incredible wealth of creative talent across the region, both behind and in front of the camera, which puts production companies here in a strong position to make the most of the opportunities that are emerging.
“For the BBC and North East Screen to recognise this potential and help kick-start multiple new ventures is a real vote of confidence in the region’s creative community.”
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough-based Wander Films is developing a YouTube-first entertainment channel built around social games.
The format will put real people through playful but high-pressure challenges, testing their relationships, judgement, instincts and how well they know one another.
Wander co-founder and chief operating officer Lou Tonner said: “We’ve spent years creating content for brands and broadcasters, so we’re really excited to take everything we’ve learned and apply it to building something of our own.
“The way people consume entertainment is changing, and we see a huge opportunity to develop original formats, build audiences and create content that can travel globally.”
The Digital Accelerator is intended to help companies experiment not only with programme ideas but also with how they attract audiences and generate income.
Mariel Capisciolto, BBC head of digital development, said: “What has been particularly exciting about this programme is the ambition and diversity of ideas coming from these four companies, from creator-led entertainment and competitive championships to outdoor adventures and new YouTube channels.
“We’re backing them not just to make great content, but to experiment with new ways of reaching audiences and building sustainable businesses beyond traditional commissioning models.”
Lisa Laws, development director at North East Screen, said the initiative was about helping production businesses respond to changing audience habits.
“Crucially, this is about more than commissioning content. It’s about helping businesses adapt and evolve as audience behaviours change. The companies taking part are not simply developing new ideas; they’re exploring new business models, new revenue opportunities and new ways of reaching audiences in an increasingly digital world.”
Helen Munson, BBC commissioning editor for daytime and early peak based in the North East, added: “The Digital Accelerator is another example of the BBC’s commitment to supporting growth and developing talent in the region.
“And this is just one part of a wider BBC strategy to support growth in the region across digital and linear, scripted and unscripted so that the big, bold, ambitious ideas of the future come from the North East.”
The programme is supported through the North East Screen Industries Partnership, delivered by North East Screen and funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
It forms part of wider efforts to develop the region’s screen industry, with an emphasis not only on attracting film and television productions but also on helping North East companies create and distribute their own content for audiences around the world.