Steven Knight teases the release of This Town on BBC Radio 4
Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight, joined BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday 2nd August, discussing his major new six-part BBC One project This Town, which was filmed in Birmingham and the West Midlands earlier this year.
This Town is a Brum based 80s family saga, set against the backdrop of the Two-tone scene. To give a flavour of what to expect in This Town, Steven was introduced with a series of 80s songs including Ghost Town by The Specials, On My Radio by The Selecter, and Mirror In The Bathroom by The Beat.
Steven explained how he grew up with this music in the early 80s West Midlands. “The series is not just about the music, it’s about individuals who are in difficult situations for whom the music is a kind of salvation. So it’s a homage to the music, but also a homage to the West Midlands and the people of the West Midlands, who are always endlessly creative.”
Steven reveals that This Town is the first of many productions to come out of his new studios in Birmingham, Digbeth Loc. “My ambition is to really increase the level of TV and film production. So we’re converting some derelict but beautiful Victorian warehouses and a waste disposal department and turning them into what will be state of the art studios. We’ve already attracted Master Chef, who will be coming there to have Digbeth as their base.”
“Really what we want to do is to not plant the industry or land the industry like a spaceship into Birmingham and then put barbed wire around it. We don’t see the point of that. What we want to do is attract and employ local people to train local people to get the skills levels up so that we can actually have people walking and cycling to work when they’re making international and national TV and movies.”
Finally, Steven teases his hopes for the release of This Town to be in the early part of next year. “I’ve watched the first four [episodes] cut together and I would say this, wouldn’t I? But it is quite remarkable.”
To listen to the full interview with Steven Knight, click here and go to 02:23:00.
Source: BBC Radio 4 – Today