Culture Secretary visits Shepperton and Pinewood Studios

By Sam Pither

2 December 2022

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Shepperton and Pinewood Studios recently hosted Rt. Hon Michelle Donelan MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Meeting up with Pinewood Group’s chairman Paul Golding, Anna Mallett, Netflix’s VP of Production in the EMEA, UK and APAC regions, Chris Bird, Prime Video UK’s managing director along with Spelthorne Councillors and the Chief Executive of Spelthorne Council, she was treated to a tour of the under development new studios north of the existing ones, which are expected to open in June 2023.

Once complete, the new £500 million expansion will add 17 new stages to Shepperton Studios, delivering around 1.2 million square feet – all of which is under long-term leases to Netflix and Prime Video.

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said: "Shepperton Studios is already a world class production facility, creating blockbuster classics such as 1917, Gladiator, Billy Elliot and Love Actually.

“The studio's major expansion will enable our homegrown dream factory to become the second largest studio in the world and create bigger and better global hits, which will cement our status as one of the best places globally to make film and television.

“Alongside the Government's funding for the BFI Film Academy and National Film and Television School, we look forward to working with the industry to make sure British filmmakers have the skills they need to make the most of the new job opportunities our great entertainment industry has to offer."

From there, the Culture Secretary moved onto Pinewood Studios, where she toured the spaces and facilities, met Creative Media Skills students based at the studios and opened the new Buckinghamshire Film Office.

Paul Golding, Chairman, Pinewood Group, said: “Our £500 million expansion of Shepperton Studios in Surrey is progressing at a great pace. We are adding over 1 million square feet to support the UK film industry and to meet the needs of our customers, Netflix and Amazon, who have signed long term contracts to occupy all of the new space.”

Featured image: (L-R) Chris Bird from Prime Video, Paul Golding from Pinewood Group, Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan and Anna Mallett from Netflix. Credit: Pinewood Group

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.