Edinburgh Launches New Screen Festival After TV Festival's Manchester Move
Edinburgh is set to introduce a new festival focused on television and screen, taking over from the Edinburgh TV Festival, which will move to Manchester in 2027 after half a century. The initiative was revealed by Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan, with the goal of boosting Edinburgh's reputation as a prominent creative center globally. Research is currently being conducted, led by former festival director Rowan Woods and supported by Screen Scotland, with a pilot event scheduled for August 2027. At the launch, Richard Gadd, known for 'Baby Reindeer', highlighted the festival's significant influence on his career. The original festival, established in 1976 by Linda Myles and Gus MacDonald, drew more than 2,000 attendees and included the MacTaggart lecture. The new festival will feature the Linda Myles Debate to honor its co-founder.
Key facts
- Edinburgh TV Festival moves to Manchester in 2027 after 50 years.
- New Scottish TV and screen festival announced by Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan.
- Consultation led by Rowan Woods, funded by Screen Scotland, delivered through Fringe Society.
- Pilot planned for August 2027.
- Richard Gadd spoke at launch, credited Fringe for his career.
- TV festival founded in 1976 by Linda Myles and Gus MacDonald.
- MacTaggart lecture delivered by Pedro Pina of YouTube in 2026.
- Linda Myles Debate to be established in honor of co-creator.
Entities
Artists
- Amol Rajan
- Màiri McAllan
- Rowan Woods
- Richard Gadd
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Hannah Gadsby
- Dennis Potter
- Rupert Murdoch
- Ted Turner
- Vince Gallagher
- David Attenborough
- Gary Oldman
- Shonda Rimes
- Tina Fey
- Linda Myles
- Gus MacDonald
- James MacTaggart
- John Birt
- Marmaduke Hussey
Institutions
- Screen Scotland
- Scottish Government
- Edinburgh TV Festival
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- BBC
- Netflix
- C4
- HBO
- YouTube
- Fringe Society
- Manchester
- Sony/Starz
Locations
- Edinburgh
- Scotland
- Manchester
- United Kingdom