BBC’s Made of Brum!
20 November 2025
Peaky Blinders creator and Create Central Champion backs his home city of Birmingham as it’s covered with more than 100 Made Of Brum billboards and digital screens
The writer of the hit TV drama Peaky Blinders has given his support to the BBC’s Made Of Brum campaign.
Steven Knight, who created the much-loved series, is pictured outside one of a hundred Made of Brum billboards around the city to shine a spotlight on Birmingham’s original homegrown stories.
Steven said his home city, where he has developed the Digbeth Loc. Studios, has always been central to his writing on shows such as Peaky Blinders and This Town.
“Birmingham is where I grew up and it’s a place I’m proud to call my home. I’ve always been drawn to creating stories about Birmingham. I believe that a city is made of its people and that’s something I’ve tried to reflect in my writing.
“Historically, Birmingham was the workshop of the world and now we have a new opportunity to be leaders in technology and media.
“Made Of Brum is all about the power of place and how important it is to see our hometowns reflected on our screens. It helps us feel good about ourselves and good about our place – and more connected to each other. I am delighted to be part it.”
More than 100 Made Of Brum billboards and posters are on display across Birmingham as part of the BBC’s national Made Of Here campaign, designed to celebrate the BBC’s commitment to supporting homegrown storytelling.
Guz Khan of BAFTA-nominated comedy Man Like Mobeen; Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders and the late Ozzy Osbourne, are all featured on the billboards. The documentary Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home, follows the last chapter of Ozzy’s life, as he prepares to come back to live in the UK and return to his hometown for a final performance with Black Sabbath.
Brummies were called upon at the Bullring to share their thoughts about what makes the city unique. Their messages were added to a bespoke What’s Brum Made Of? wall.
BBC Radio WM’s Ed James’s mid-morning show was broadcast live from the Bullring and a film crew captured content for BBC Midlands Today.
Earlier this year, the BBC signed a second memorandum of understanding with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Create Central, as part of its Across the UK strategy. It will ensure BBC network television production spending in the West Midlands almost doubles from £24m to £40m a year by the end of 2027.
The BBC in Birmingham is home to Radio WM, Midlands Today, The Archers, Asian Network, Newsbeat, 1Xtra shows, as well as the West Midlands Local Online News and Verify and Data Journalism teams.
Meanwhile, Peaky Blinders will return to the BBC in the UK and Netflix globally, with writer, creator and executive producer Steven Knight telling the story of a new generation of Shelbys in two new series to be filmed at Digbeth Loc. Studios and set in the city.