Bradford 2025 TV Coverage Reaches Over 26 Million Viewers

More than 26 million people watched programming celebrating Bradford’s year as City of Culture, it has been revealed. Bradford Live, the city’s new music and events venue, hosted a major celebration on Wednesday reflecting on the successes of Bradford 2025 and looking ahead to its cultural legacy.

The event highlighted the partnership between Bradford 2025 and the BBC, the official media partner for the year. Throughout 2025, the BBC broadcast major events including the opening ceremony Rise and the Christmas Day service from Bradford Cathedral. Popular shows such as Gardener’s Question Time, Antiques Roadshow, Countryfile, and the BBC Proms were also filmed or recorded in the city.

By the end of the year, the BBC had brought six radio networks to Bradford alongside more than 70 programmes and projects. Irene Kaali, one of the BBC’s New Voice winners, revealed: “21.6 million people across the UK have watched content celebrating Bradford on TV or iPlayer.”

Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director for Bradford 2025, said the extensive TV coverage was “incredibly important” and ensured Bradford was seen for its present-day achievements, not its past. She was referencing the Bradford riots, which have historically overshadowed the city’s image.

Katrina Bunker, Head of BBC Yorkshire, emphasized the broadcaster’s long-term commitment to the city, aiming to showcase Bradford’s creativity, ambition, and talent.

One of the most popular events of 2025 was the Extraordinary Portraits exhibition with Bill Bailey. Open for just 17 days at the pop-up Loading Bay arts venue, it attracted 13,000 visitors. The venue closed at the end of the year but will reopen in May with a new exhibition, featuring Kaiser Chiefs’ lead singer Ricky Wilson as a guest artist.

Kaali noted that the first exhibition saw visitors queuing around the corner, and with its return, it is likely the show will remain at Loading Bay for a longer period.