The Edinburgh TV Festival, Britain’s biggest television industry event, is relocating to Manchester from 2027 after organizers praised the city’s “genuine creative ambition and future-facing energy.” The move ends a five-decade association with the Scottish capital, driven by concerns over rising costs during August when the festival coincided with the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe.
Why Manchester Won the Bid
Campbell Glennie, CEO of the TV Festival and its organizing body The TV Foundation, confirmed that Manchester’s bid—centered on the new St John’s creative and cultural district—was selected over Newcastle and Edinburgh. He highlighted “commitments around affordability, infrastructure, industry partnership and long-term growth potential.” Glennie 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. The city reflects the expanding ambition of the UK television industry, while still offering the scale, connectivity and unique cultural identity needed for an event of this significance; it gives us the strongest platform to grow the Festival’s reach and impact in the years ahead.”
Economic and Cultural Impact
The festival regularly attracts major media figures such as David Attenborough and Steve Coogan, and its annual MacTaggart Lecture has featured Rupert Murdoch, Jeremy Paxman, Emily Maitlis, and Louis Theroux. Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, called the selection “brilliant news” for Greater Manchester. She noted: “With the fastest growing economy in the UK, creative industries are a key priority growth area for us. As part of this we aim to make our region home to the strongest screen industry cluster outside London by 2028 – an ambition backed by our just-launched £10.5 million Screen Production Fund to support film and TV made in Greater Manchester, using local facilities and expertise. As new home now also to the prestigious TV Festival, we’ll be working closely with partners to ensure we deliver not just an exceptional annual Festival – with our own uniquely Manchester twist – but an event that supports new collaborations and partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally, that have the growth, sustainability, and diversity of the screen industry at their heart.”
Board’s Decision and Edinburgh’s Legacy
Fatima Salaria, chair of the Festival board, emphasized that the decision was not a rejection of Edinburgh. “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. Edinburgh gives the Festival a powerful origin story, and we respect that deeply. But this decision had to balance legacy with future opportunity. The Festival now needs the right conditions, support and momentum for its next chapter; where it could have the strongest chance to grow and serve the widest part of the industry. For the Board, that place was Greater Manchester.” The final Edinburgh edition takes place in August 2026, with Manchester dates for 2027 to be announced later. Salaria added: “We know this news will carry real emotion for many people because Edinburgh and the Festival have been intertwined over generations. We will honour that history with care, including at this year’s Festival. This is a chance to build a new chapter with confidence. Greater Manchester brings heritage, infrastructure, ambition and a serious growth proposition. It gives us the chance to widen who the Festival speaks to, who feels invited in, and how visible the Festival is to the working television community across the UK and beyond.”
Newcastle’s Strong Bid
Festival directors also praised Newcastle’s “ambitious, imaginative and deeply compelling” bid. Glennie remarked: “Newcastle brought enormous passion, clarity and imagination to this process. The conversations we had there reflected a city with a powerful sense of identity and a real belief in the future of the screen industries. We are hugely grateful for the seriousness and warmth with which they engaged and are hopeful this is the start of similar, more meaningful relationships across the UK.”
