Doctor Who maker Bad Wolf to spend £60m in Wales after being handed government money
Bad Wolf, the production company behind the likes of Doctor Who, His Dark Materials and A Discovery of Witches, is to spend at least £60m in Wales after securing a new government deal.
Creative Wales, the Welsh Government agency charged with supporting and growing the country’s creative industries, said the deal to provide the company with £4m in funds will enable Bad Wolf to “consolidate its position and continue to grow in Wales”.
The business, which has also made I Hate Suzie and The Winter King, is to maintain its principal base at Wolf Studios Wales in Cardiff while the deal will ensure that at least four Bad Wolf productions are shot and produced in Wales in the period up to March 2027.
The Welsh Government added that the agreement commits Bad Wolf to spending at least £60m in the country over a four-year period as well as provide a minimum of 42 “meaningful” paid trainee placements on high-end productions.
Jane Tranter, CEO and co-founder of Bad Wolf said: “The continued support from Welsh Government to the creative industries in Wales has been invaluable to the growth of TV production here.
“When we first located Doctor Who in Wales almost 20 years ago, we could have hardly dared to hope that two decades later we would see such a diverse slate of TV drama being made by a plethora of different companies.
“Bad Wolf is honoured to be part of an energetic and vibrant industry that we are sure will continue to bring investment and employment to Wales for many years to come.”
In its most recent set of accounts, for the year to March 31, 2023, Bad Wolf reported a turnover of £117.3m, up from £40.2m, and pre-tax profits of £7m, up from £1.5m.
Bad Wolf was founded by Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter in 2015 and is majority owned by Sony Pictures Television.
Deputy Minister Dawn Bowden said: “This four-year deal is excellent news for the creative sector in Wales.
“The high numbers of Welsh crew and supply chain companies working on the productions will secure invaluable production credits which will only strengthen Wales’ reputation as a first-class filming location with talented and skilled crew able to service high-end production.
“The industry is a stand out success with global reach that is helping young people plan ambitious futures in Wales.
“That goal is at heart of our economic mission and the creative sector is proving what’s possible thanks to a sustained partnership with the Welsh Government.”