FILM and TV generated more than £7 million for Bradford’s economy last year, the Council has said, amid an increase in requests.
There were more than 150 filming days recorded across the district in 2024 – bringing shows like AA Dhand’s thrilling cop drama series, Virdee, to life.
Bradford has also been the set for the new film Giant, starring A-list actor Pierce Brosnan, and the Bollywood TV show Gandhi, featuring Tom Felton, Bhamini Oza, and Pratik Gandhi.
A Freedom of Information Request by the Telegraph & Argus showed Bradford Council’s total income from filming hit £183,754.
It covered the period from January 1 to December 31 and included money made through TV and film, adverts, and other types of media where payment would be required.
The Bradford district has been a haven for filming in recent years – having been crowned a UNESCO City of Film and provided the backdrop to 28 Years Later, Six Triple Eight, The English Game, Peaky Blinders, Victoria, and Downton Abbey.
“The increase was primarily due to productions such as BBC’s Virdee, along with other major television shows and films like the Bollywood TV show Gandhi, the film Giant, starring Pierce Brosnan, both scheduled for release this year.
“Based on Filming in England’s Average Local Production Spend Rate it is estimated that filming in the Bradford district last year generated £7.3 million for the district’s economy.
“This figure includes production company spending on services such as transport, accommodation, and catering, which indirectly benefits local businesses and the community.”
Throughout 2024, Virdee was filmed extensively in Bradford, including locations like City Hall, Sunbridge Wells, Cannon Mills, and Little Germany.
Hans Zimmer created a soundtrack for the six-part drama, which transformed Bradford pharmacist-turned-author AA Dhand’s book series for the screen.
Dhand first wrote the words ‘Harry Virdee’ on a page in 2006 – it would be 10 years before his books were published.
Two decades later, his graphic-novel-inspired drama series aired.
Speaking about the audience, he said: “I hope they’ll take away it’s a beautiful city. With the opening shots, we’re in City Park – it’s beautiful, vibrant, peaceful – but I can go to the mills and have an action scene. There are so many amazing places.
“I’m showing Bradford off, whether it’s Lister Park or City Park, even the mills there’s so much history, so much architecture, Gothic bohemian ruins that were once the most powerful industrial units in England.
Other filming locations for Virdee include Albion Street (off Grattan Road), Kirkgate Shopping Centre, Westgate, Bradford Forster Square Station, City Park and the Mirror Pool, the Midland Hotel, Cater Street, and Mill Street.
There was also excitement last May as Hollywood celebrity Pierce Brosnan filmed in the Bradford district. Brosnan was in Wrose as crews filmed on location at the top of picturesque Carr Lane.
Councillor Liz Rowe (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) told the T&A that the A-lister had filmed in Shipley town centre earlier in the morning.
Giant, set to be released in cinemas this summer, is a film about the famous Sheffield boxer Prince Naseem. The movie follows Naseem’s rags-to-riches story as he climbed the ranks to world champion with Brendan Ingle (played by Brosnan) by his side.
Cllr Rowe explained that film crews for the movie Giant filmed scenes in two meadows at the top of Carr Lane because it has “stunning views of the city with an industrial revolution kind of feel”.
Cllr Rowe added: “It was really interesting to see Pierce Brosnan. He had a lot of prosthetic work done to make him look old and bald. He also was really skinny as he apparently had to lose a lot of weight for the part.
“It didn’t look anything like him. But he showed up in his tuxedo and he changed into a tracksuit.
“With the prosthetics on, it was extremely arduous because of the hot weather yesterday. He was messing around with his face and they had to do touch-ups.”
