Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt turn tables on media and get behind TV cameras

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during their visit to Sunderland University to promote a new film studio which will be built (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor turned the tables on the media and got behind the TV cameras during a visit to promote a multimillion-pound project to develop one of Europe’s largest film-making complexes.

They were at the media centre at Sunderland University to talk about the development of the nearby Crown Works Studios, a brownfield site on the banks of the River Wear, which could employ 8,000 people.

At last week’s Budget, the Chancellor announced £37 million of Government grants plus new fundraising powers which will enable the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (Nemca) to deliver the regeneration project.

Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt toured a studio at the university where students learn the craft of making TV.

They were behind the cameras while two students discussed the upcoming studio development, with one, Issac Jukes, expressing excitement at the idea of stars coming to make films on Wearside.

The student said: “Tom Cruise in the middle of Sunderland, it’s going to be mental.”

Rishi Sunak visit to North East — The Prime Minister and Chancellor learnt about the craft of making TV (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Mr Sunak said: “It’s very nice to watch someone else being interviewed, I really enjoyed that, it was great.”

They also visited a TV gallery to watch how the pictures could be mixed.

The two senior Tories then chatted in the Spark radio studio where they recorded an indent for the student-run community station.

Mr Sunak was asked to re-record his message, saying: “Hello Sunderland, this is the Prime Minister Rishi, and you are listening to Spark.”

After he did his recording first time, Mr Hunt joked: “What’s the fee?”

The Crown Works Studios is a joint venture between Fulwell 73 and Cain International, known as FulwellCain, will see the partners invest £450 million into the project.

Nemca will designate the site as a “growth zone” allowing Sunderland City Council to retain 100% of business rate growth for the next 25 years.

It is expected to attract major films and high-end TV series to be made in the North East, bringing in millions of pounds of investment annually.