As we approach the much-anticipated year of the UK’s City of Culture, new BBC content celebrates Bradford’s vibrant culture, rich heritage and dynamic creativity.

Bradford’s Big Bash is a half-hour film for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, broadcast on January 17 at 7:30 p.m., which goes behind the scenes of ‘RISE’, which will be the spectacular opening event announcing Bradford’s move to as a cultural city in the United Kingdom. 2025.

The film follows many locals who take part in this extraordinary event, such as amateur acrobats, singers, poets and even a young magician. RISE was created by award-winning theater director Kirsty Housley in collaboration with Steven Frayne, the world-renowned Bradford-born magician formerly known as Dynamo.

Bradford’s Big Bash, produced by Yorkshire-based Candor Productions, will showcase the power of the arts, celebrating Bradford’s unique landscape, communities and diversity and bringing this proud Yorkshire city to the national and even international stage.

The Big Tasty Read, organized by The Reading Agency and BBC Arts, alongside partners Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Bradford Literature Festival, is a UK-wide campaign using books showcasing the positive power of food to encourage more people to read.

It will include a list of audience-recommended books, selected by an independent panel of librarians and booksellers, featuring a tantalizing mix of fiction and non-fiction aimed at adults.

Launching in Bradford in summer 2025, libraries and bookstores across the UK will be invited to get involved by promoting the books and organizing community activities and events.

The BBC is committed to supporting Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture throughout the year and further announcements regarding new programming, events and coverage of the celebrations will follow.

Katrina Bunker, Senior Content Production Manager for Yorkshire, said: “By showcasing Bradford’s incredible talents and stories, we aim to inspire and connect audiences near and far. That’s what these commissions are for.

“I am immensely proud of the collaborative efforts that brought these projects to fruition and look forward to sharing the joy, inspiration and cultural richness they will bring.” Let’s come together to celebrate Bradford’s journey and make 2025 a year to remember for generations to come.

“This landmark year will showcase the city’s artistry, historical significance and contemporary achievements, ensuring that Bradford’s story resonates not only locally, but also nationally and globally.

Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025, UK Cultural City, said: “The Big Bradford Bash celebrates the incredible talent in Bradford from our district, going behind the scenes of RISE to follow the local people at the heart of our opening event. , sharing their stories with audiences across the country.

“The Big Tasty Read is also very relevant to communities across Bradford. The project not only captures its literary heritage, but it also celebrates Bradford as a food-crazy city, demonstrating the internationalism inherent in our communities.

Suzy Klein, Head of BBC Arts and Classical Music TV, said: “I’m proud to support our partnership with the cultural city of Bradford in the UK with a series of our BBC Arts programs aimed at showcasing the region’s rich cultural history .

“From starring as Bradford-born Vinette Robinson in The Read’s Wuthering Heights, partly filmed on location in the Yorkshire Moors, to spotlighting some of the brilliant people behind the scenes for the launch in Big Bradford Bash, and Big Tasty Read – another important campaign. we work with the Reading Agency and the Bradford Literature Festival to support the country’s thirst for good books.

The BBC was announced as an official broadcast partner in June this year, meaning there will be unforgettable coverage across local and national BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, Radio, BBC Sounds and Online, bringing audiences together to celebrate Bradford.

The BBC has so far commissioned a range of new content across arts, education, fact, sport and local for the city’s momentous year.

Further announcements on new BBC content, events and celebration coverage will follow soon.

BORN.