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It’s the home of Radio 1 Big Weekend 2026, Premier League matches, Hylton Castle – and soon, a film studio. Sunderland is one of the most underrated cities in the UK, with so much to see and do that it made Time Out’s list of the 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026, alongside the likes of Edinburgh and Blackpool. Soon, it’ll be visited by movie stars thanks to the new Crown Works film studios.
Building of the new studios could start this autumn as final plans have been submitted for an 178,000 sqft production space, with three sound stages and production accommodation. Original plans had 19 studios across the facility in a £450m privately funded plan – but after two investors pulled out, more than £60m of public investment stepped in for a new, smaller plan.
Sunderland has been a particularly star-studded spot this summer after hosting Radio 1 Big Weekend. Zara Larsson, Louis Tomlinson and Mitski were among the celebrities who performed at Herrington Country Park.
The city has lots to do year-round, too. From the recently restored Hylton Castle to the newly rehoused Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland has seen a number of revamps in the last year for its freshly buzzing tourist landscape.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said of the studios: ‘This planning permission is the last hurdle to bringing world-class film and TV shows to the north east and I'm excited to see construction start.’
Just a few years ago, the idea of celebrity-spotting in Sunderland was laughable. Now, it fits perfectly with the emerging hype surrounding the port city. The north east’s rising star has just got a little bit brighter.
ICYMI: This massively underrated museum has closed for a £13m makeover.
Plus: Disney has revealed the opening date of its next UK store.
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